RC Lens have produced one of the biggest upsets in recent French football by defeating Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 to win the 2026 Trophée des Champions, ending PSG’s dominance of the competition and claiming the trophy for the first time in the club’s history.
Florian Thauvin scored the decisive goal in the first half as Lens held on for a remarkable victory at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Sunday. The triumph was even more impressive because Lens played with 10 men for more than 50 minutes after Kyllian Antonio was sent off.
The result ended PSG’s run of four consecutive French Super Cup victories and denied Luis Enrique’s side another piece of silverware only four days after they had beaten Aston Villa 2-1 to retain the UEFA Super Cup.
Lens entered the contest with confidence after winning the Coupe de France last season, while PSG arrived as Ligue 1 champions and European Super Cup winners. On paper, the Parisian giants were the favourites, but Lens quickly demonstrated that they had no intention of being intimidated by their illustrious opponents.
Playing in front of a passionate home crowd, Lens showed impressive energy from the opening stages. Their pressing made life difficult for PSG, while their willingness to attack through the wide areas created problems for the visitors’ defence.
The breakthrough arrived in the 32nd minute.
A promising Lens attack developed down the left before Matthieu Udol delivered an excellent cross into the penalty area. Florian Thauvin timed his movement perfectly and met the delivery with a composed finish to put the home side ahead.
The goal sparked huge celebrations inside the Bollaert-Delelis and gave Lens the belief that they could complete what initially appeared to be an unlikely victory.
However, Lens’ advantage was soon placed under serious threat.
Just seven minutes after Thauvin’s goal, Lens were reduced to 10 men when Kyllian Antonio was shown a red card in the 39th minute. Suddenly, the home side faced the daunting task of protecting a one goal lead against a PSG team filled with attacking talent.
The dismissal forced Lens to change their approach. Instead of continuing to attack with the same freedom, they dropped deeper and concentrated on maintaining their defensive structure.
PSG immediately attempted to take advantage of their numerical superiority.
Luis Enrique introduced changes and his players began to control more of the possession. Désiré Doué came close to equalising when his effort struck the crossbar, while PSG continued searching for a way through Lens’ compact defensive block.
The visitors appeared to have found the equaliser when Fabian Ruiz put the ball into the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser then became one of the most important players on the pitch.
The young goalkeeper produced several important interventions as PSG increased the pressure. His composure and positioning helped keep the French champions at bay as the minutes continued to disappear from the clock.
PSG’s frustration increased further late in the game when they were also reduced to 10 players.
Nuno Mendes was sent off in the closing stages, meaning both teams finished the contest with 10 men.
Despite PSG’s late attempts to rescue the match, Lens refused to surrender their advantage.
Every clearance was greeted with a huge roar from the home supporters, while the Lens players threw themselves into challenges and defended their penalty area with remarkable determination.
When the final whistle arrived, the celebrations were extraordinary.
Lens had defeated PSG 1-0 and secured the Trophée des Champions for the first time in the club’s history. The victory also completed a remarkable period for the club, which won the Coupe de France last season and finished second behind PSG in Ligue 1.
For Thauvin, the match will be remembered for his decisive contribution. His 32nd minute goal proved enough to separate the two sides and provided Lens with a historic trophy.
For PSG, meanwhile, the defeat will serve as an early warning that the new season will not be straightforward. Despite dominating possession for long periods and creating opportunities, they could not find the finishing touch required to break Lens down.
The result is also significant because PSG had won almost every recent edition of the competition. They had claimed the previous four Trophée des Champions titles and were seeking to continue their extraordinary domestic dominance.
Instead, Lens ended that sequence in dramatic fashion.
The victory will give Lens enormous confidence heading into the new Ligue 1 campaign, while PSG must quickly regroup after suffering their first major setback of the new season.
For the fans at Bollaert-Delelis, however, this was a night that will live in the club’s history.
RC Lens are French Super Cup champions.
Final Score: RC Lens 1-0 Paris Saint-Germain
Goal: Florian Thauvin 32′
Red cards: Kyllian Antonio 39′ (Lens), Nuno Mendes late in the second half (PSG).
