Paris Belongs to the Banlieue: Scenes From the Night PSG Took the City
On the 31st May 2025, Paris Saint Germain (PSG) won their first ever Champions League trophy with a rapturous 5-0 defeat of two-time winners Inter Milan.
After years of disappointment and heartbreak in Europe's premier competition, it was the first time in 22 years since a French team had won the coveted trophy, prompting a night of jubilant celebrations in the country's capital.
As the final whistle blew and the team's exhausted players fell to their knees after completing a historic treble, buoyant PSG fans from all over Paris poured into the city's streets to celebrate with each other. They congregated on the Champs-Élysées, illuminating the city's most famous street with burning red flares and filling the air with their roaring chants.
PSG's fans are known for their devotion and passion. The club's 'ultras' – a football subculture that originated in Italy in the 1960s defined by the use of choreography, orchestrated displays and unwavering loyalty – have also been noted for their diversity and inclusive ethos, reflecting the multicultural makeup of Paris.
During a PSG game, the ultras collectively boom out the chant "la Banlieue influence Paname et Paname influence le monde," which translates as "the suburbs influence Paris and Paris influences the world" referring to Parisian outskirts that hold PSG's core fanbase.
Dispute the jubilant spirit, celebrations soon descended into chaos, with fires being lit and cars set ablaze. According to The Guardian, 192 people were injured. While conservative circles immediately criticised fans, those present condemned to the heavy-handed response of the riot police, who interrupted peaceful fan celebrations and stoked violent behaviour.
Speaking later to press, the police also made a distinction between supporters and troublemakers: "PSG supporters shouldn't be mixed up with gangs of looters and vandals," signalling to wider patterns of unrest in Paris. The club also spoke out in condemnation of violence, urging supporters to show respect and responsibility during the parade.
Paris-based football culture photographer Alexey Dymarskiy set out to document the night, showing his unique eye for capturing football's most emotional moments. His images show the outpouring of joy on the city's streets.
"I like football for the pure emotions it allows, how simple its main principle is: ‘Us against the enemy’," he explains, stating he enjoys the unique culture around the game. "It’s like being thrown into a cage for two hours of play, where the laws of animals operate, and then it all ends, and you’re a normal person again.”
Alexey's photographs have been published by Lower Block – a platform founded in 2021 by former national newspaper editor Matt Lidbury to celebrate football through powerful photography and editorial projects – as a 36-page zine.