Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has described Paris Saint-Germain as the finest football team in the world after watching his side fall short in the UEFA Champions League final.
The Spanish tactician made the admission following Arsenal’s painful 4-3 penalty shootout defeat to the French champions on Saturday night after both sides played out a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes in Budapest.
Despite leading for much of the contest and producing a resilient defensive display, Arsenal were unable to stop PSG from retaining their European crown, with the Ligue 1 champions eventually prevailing in a tense shootout.
Speaking after the match, Arteta did not hide his disappointment, admitting that the overwhelming emotion inside the Arsenal camp was one of pain.
The Arsenal boss also reserved special praise for PSG manager Luis Enrique and his players, insisting that no team currently matches the French side’s quality and technical ability.
“I want to congratulate PSG, Luis in particular, because in my opinion they are the best in the world,” Arteta told reporters after the final.
Reflecting on PSG’s performance, the Spaniard highlighted the champions’ ability to dominate matches both collectively and individually.
“What they are able to do with the ball, with individual actions, I haven’t seen it before, and it’s not a plan to play in certain scenarios when you don’t have the ball, but they force you to do that.
”So even more praise to the players,” he said.
Although Arsenal struck first through Kai Havertz and defended courageously for long periods, the statistics underlined PSG’s dominance throughout the encounter.
The Premier League champions spent much of the game without the ball, recording less than 25 per cent possession as they attempted to contain wave after wave of PSG attacks.
The French side eventually found a breakthrough in the second half when Ousmane Dembele converted from the penalty spot to cancel out Havertz’s early goal.
That strike also carried added significance, equalling the record of 45 goals scored by a team in a single Champions League campaign.
Arteta admitted his side struggled to cope with PSG’s quality, though he believed certain moments could have changed the outcome.
One incident that left the Arsenal manager frustrated was the decision not to award a penalty to winger Noni Madueke while the score remained level at 1-1.
The Arsenal bench felt their side had a strong claim, but the officials waved away appeals, allowing play to continue.
Despite his disappointment over the decision, Arteta refused to use it as an excuse for the defeat.
Instead, he acknowledged that Arsenal still have another level to reach if they are to conquer Europe and bring the Champions League trophy to North London.
The defeat marked Arsenal’s second appearance in a Champions League final and revived memories of their previous heartbreak on the biggest stage.
Their first final came two decades ago when they lost to Barcelona in Paris, and history repeated itself as another European dream slipped away.
However, Arteta remained convinced that Arsenal’s journey is moving in the right direction.
Since taking charge nearly seven years ago, the former midfielder has transformed the club’s fortunes, guiding Arsenal back among Europe’s elite and ending a 22-year wait for the English league title.
Yet the Spaniard believed further improvement is essential if the club is to compete consistently with the continent’s strongest teams.
“The same progression that we had in the last few years, we’re going to have to do that over again, and the level is increasing every single season,” Arteta explained.
According to him, the disappointment of losing such a major final must now serve as motivation for future success.
“You have to go through that pain, digest it and turn it into fuel to improve and to reach a different level, because it demands a different level with the quality that is around Europe,” he added.
While Arsenal were left to reflect on another painful Champions League final defeat, Arteta’s comments highlighted the respect PSG have earned across European football.
For the Gunners, the challenge now would be transforming the lessons of Budapest into progress, as they continue their pursuit of a first-ever Champions League title.
For PSG, meanwhile, another European triumph further strengthens their status as the benchmark in club football, with even their defeated opponents acknowledging the level they have reached.
