PSG Wins Intercontinental Cup on Penalties as Safonov Fractures Hand

Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Matvey Safonov emerged as the hero of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final on December 17, 2025, in Doha, Qatar, saving four penalties to secure a 2-1 shootout victory over Flamengo after a 1-1 draw, but the 26-year-old Russian sustained a fractured left hand during the decisive sequence.

The match pitted the UEFA Champions League winners against the Copa Libertadores champions in a tense encounter that required extra time. PSG took the lead in the 38th minute when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia capitalized on a goalkeeper error by Flamengo's Agustin Rossi to slot home. Flamengo equalized in the 62nd minute from the penalty spot, with Jorginho converting after a VAR-reviewed foul by Marquinhos on Giorgian de Arrascaeta. Neither side found a breakthrough in the additional 30 minutes, despite late chances for PSG substitutes Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola.

In the shootout, Flamengo's Nicolas de la Cruz scored first, but Safonov denied the next four Brazilian takers—Giorgio de la Cruz, Pedro, Leo Pereira, and Luiz Araujo—in a row. PSG's Vitinha and Nuno Mendes converted their attempts, while Dembélé and Barcola missed, but the saves proved enough for the...