Paris Saint-Germain made history by securing their first-ever UEFA Champions League title in the 2024–25 season, prompting an outpouring of reactions from across the global soccer community. Among them was Real Madrid, who extended congratulations to the French club—while also offering a heartfelt tribute to PSG manager Luis Enrique and his late daughter, Xana.
PSG navigated a difficult knockout stage, eliminating English powerhouses Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal, before capping off the run with a record-setting 5–0 victory over Inter Milan in the final. As the most decorated club in Champions League history, Real Madrid acknowledged the magnitude of PSG’s triumph with a message on their official X account.
“Congratulations to PSG and their fans for their well-deserved 2024–2025 Champions League title. And our most heartfelt congratulations go to our dear Luis Enrique, with a loving and emotional remembrance of his daughter Xana,” wrote the club on Saturday.
While Luis Enrique is most closely associated with longtime rivals FC Barcelona, the Spanish coach also has ties to Real Madrid. A product of Sporting Gijon, he joined Los Blancos in July 1991 for €1.5 million. Five years later, he made a controversial move to Barca on a free transfer, where he ultimately retired in 2004.
He later coached Barcelona from 2014 to 2017, leading the legendary “MSN” trio to the 2014–15 Champions League title. Despite his history with their fiercest rivals, Luis Enrique has earned widespread respect for his personal resilience—something that Real Madrid’s message recognized with genuine sportsmanship.
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Luis Enrique has become a symbol of strength in the soccer world after continuing to coach and lead teams following the loss of his daughter Xana to a terminal illness in 2019. In her memory, he established the Xana Foundation to support children in vulnerable situations and their families.
Following PSG’s victory, fans unveiled an emotional tifo depicting Luis Enrique and Xana, honoring the bond between father and daughter. Speaking to ESPN after the match, the coach addressed the significance of the moment and shared an emotional message:
“Xana is with our family and all her friends. Every day—whether we win, lose, wake up in a bad mood or a good one—when you love someone from the heart, they are always with you, always with our family. Today, she would surely be running around here, though maybe a bit older now. But when you manage to bring joy to so many fans, it’s a very beautiful day.”
