Geneva, June 3 (IANS) Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) president Aleksander Ceferin has praised Hungary’s staging of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League final for the time, saying the event’s success in Budapest was “no accident”.

In a letter published on the Hungarian Football Federation’s official website and addressed to federation president Sandor Csanyi, Ceferin said hosting a Champions League final was “one of the greatest responsibilities in world football.”

“The success experienced in Budapest was no accident. It was the result of years of hard work, unwavering dedication and meticulous preparation,” Ceferin wrote as quoted by Xinhua.

Ceferin thanked the Hungarian Football Federation, the organising team and all those involved in preparing the event, saying the final reflected the unity, passion and friendship embodied by football.

He said Budapest provided an outstanding setting for the final, while the Puskas Arena, with its world-class facilities, was a fitting stage for Europe’s premier club competition and a symbol of Hungarian football’s development in recent years.

The Champions League final was held in Budapest on May 30, with French side Paris Saint-Germain retaining the title after defeating English Premier League champion Arsenal 5-4 on penalties.

With this win, PSG became the first French club in history to win the Champions League twice, and the second European club to achieve this feat back-to-back. This latest title brings the number of trophies won by PSG since its inception to 60, including 42 since the arrival of Qatar Sports Investments in 2011.

Having already been crowned French champions for the fifth consecutive time, Paris Saint-Germain have also become the second team in the 21st century to reach two consecutive Champions League finals whilst winning their domestic league, following in the footsteps of Manchester United (2008-09).

Under the guidance of Luis Enrique – now the most successful manager in the club’s history, with 12 trophies – the Rouge et Bleu have left their mark on this European campaign, scoring 45 goals in the Champions League, an average of 2.8 goals per match. Only FC Barcelona in 1999-2000 (45) have done better in a single edition of the competition.

–IANS

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