Kimpembe helps lift Champions League trophy despite leaving PSG

Presnel Kimpembe, now with Qatar SC, was an unexpected presence at the Champions League final in Budapest as Paris Saint-Germain's official final ambassador. He carried the trophy into the stadium alongside Thierry Henry, who served as Arsenal's ambassador. After PSG won the penalty shootout to retain the trophy, Kimpembe took part in the presentation.

He hugged former teammates Nuno Mendes and Joao Neves, placed the cup on the plinth and, at Ousmane Dembélé's urging, lifted it into the Budapest night to cheers. The game had finished 1-1 after 120 minutes following an early Kai Havertz goal and a Dembélé spot-kick; Arsenal's Gabriel missed the decisive penalty, with PSG captain Marquinhos consoling him.

Kimpembe's links to the club run deep: he spent 20 years in Paris, joining the youth setup in 2005 and breaking into the first team at 19. He was part of France's 2018 World Cup-winning squad and, in 2025, lifted the Champions League trophy as a PSG player.

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