Paris Saint-Germain winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been named UEFA Champions League Player of the Season for the 2025/26 campaign.
The Georgian international received the award on Sunday after playing a pivotal role in PSG’s successful defence of the European title.
Kvaratskhelia finished the campaign with 10 goals and six assists in 16 Champions League appearances, producing a series of influential performances throughout the competition.
In Saturday’s final against Arsenal, the 25-year-old helped PSG stage a comeback after falling behind. He won the penalty that led to the equaliser in the 65th minute after being brought down inside the box, with Ousmane Dembele converting from the spot.
Both players were substituted before the match went into extra time. The encounter ended 1-1 before PSG edged Arsenal 4-3 on penalties to retain the trophy.
The award was decided by UEFA’s Technical Observer Board, a panel of about 30 football experts, including Gareth Southgate, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Rafael Benitez.
In a statement released on Sunday, the panel hailed Kvaratskhelia’s impact and consistency throughout the tournament.
“Arguably Kvaratskhelia’s finest performance came in the unforgettable 5-4 semi-final first-leg victory over Bayern Munich, when he curled home an equaliser before adding a second goal after the break to complete a superb brace,” the statement read.
The winger also scored three goals across two Round of 16 matches against Chelsea and found the net again against Liverpool in the quarter-finals.
His outstanding campaign came a year after he scored in PSG’s 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in the 2025 Champions League final.
AFP
