At Stade Bollaert-Delelis, in front of 38,000 raucous Lens supporters, Paris Saint-Germain suffered their first defeat of the season. A goal from Florian Thauvin in the 30th minute, a missed penalty by the Parisians, Nuno Mendes's dismissal in the 87th minute, and a PSG side unable to find a way through despite dominating possession. RC Lens win the 2026 Trophée des Champions 1-0 and claim the first major domestic trophy of their modern history.
Ligue 1 runners-up 1 - 0 Paris Saint-Germain
French champions
The match story, minute by minute
The statistics that tell the story of the evening
The figures perfectly sum up this Trophée des Champions: PSG dominated in terms of play and time spent in the opposition half, but could not break through a disciplined Lens defense, backed by an exceptional Risser and flawless defensive organization. Lens managed only 5 shots on target throughout the match. Thauvin put one of them in the net. That was all it took.
Robin Risser: man of the match
9 saves. The number speaks for itself. Robin Risser, the Lens goalkeeper, played the match of his life in a Bollaert atmosphere that made every intervention even more intense. His right-footed save from Dembélé’s attempt in the first half will remain the image of the match—the moment Paris realized that victory would not come easily that evening.
Risser, 27, has made remarkable progress since returning from his loan spell at ASSE in 2023. His 2025–2026 season earned him a national-team call-up and several offers from major clubs. His performance tonight in the Trophée des Champions will inevitably reignite those discussions in the coming weeks. For now, he is celebrating with his teammates the modern era’s first national trophy for Racing Club de Lens, whose official jerseys are available at Elite Fanstore.
Thauvin: the former ghost haunting Paris
Florian Thauvin has a special history with Paris Saint-Germain. The Marseille-trained winger, who played for several clubs, had always been regarded as a player from the opposing camp in the context of the PSG–OM rivalry. His move to Lens after his spell in MLS changed the geographic setting without changing the essential fact: when Thauvin plays against Paris, something happens.
This 1–0 goal, scored with a left-footed shot across the goalkeeper after Lens won the ball high up the pitch, perfectly reflects the logic of the match. It was not a fluke. It came from a precise game plan: force a turnover in the opposition half, accelerate vertically, and give the Paris defense no time to regroup. Racing executed that plan to perfection.
We worked hard all summer. This trophy is for all the supporters who make Bollaert hell for our opponents.
Will Still, RC Lens manager, after the victoryThe reasons behind Paris's defeat
Luis Enrique was not looking for excuses after the match. PSG had chances but failed to convert them. However, several factors worked against him that evening.
First, the match context. A Trophée des Champions played at Bollaert in front of 38,000 Lens supporters, just days before the start of Ligue 1, is a setting that naturally favors the home team. The supporters’ pressure, the stadium’s electric atmosphere, and Lens’ determination to start their season that very evening all combined to undermine Parisian composure.
Then there is PSG’s extremely busy schedule since the end of the Club World Cup. The Parisian club has been competing in one tournament after another for several weeks, with international players returning from vacation later than the rest of the squad. Luis Enrique had made several changes, notably keeping Mika Godts on the bench in the first half, and the result showed that the lineup lacked perhaps the cohesion needed to break down a defensive block as well organized as Lens’.
What’s next: PSG host Rennes on Matchday 1 of Ligue 1
Losing this Trophée des Champions is a harsh wake-up call, but not necessarily a bad sign for what lies ahead. Paris also lost its 2022 Trophée des Champions before going on to enjoy an exceptional Ligue 1 season and begin its run of European titles. The Parisians' ability to put this defeat into perspective and bounce back immediately in the league on August 23 will say a great deal about this squad's maturity.
For Lens, the schedule looks demanding. Having finished second in Ligue 1 last season, Les Sang et Or showed tonight that they are capable of beating the best French team in a major gala match. If that confidence translates into points from the opening league games, the 2026–2027 title race could once again be contested between Paris and Lens, as it was last season. RC Lens jerseys and Paris Saint-Germain jerseys are available at Elite Fanstore for what promises to be an exciting season.