PSG: Hoarau’s story speaks volumes about Ancelotti’s approach

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·8 March 2026

PSG: Hoarau’s story speaks volumes about Ancelotti’s approach

Former Paris Saint-Germain striker Guillaume Hoarau, 42, looked back in L’Équipe on a memorable moment from his time at the Parisian club. Through an intimate anecdote about Carlo Ancelotti, the ex-centre forward sheds light on both the human side of the Italian coach and the fierce attacking competition that existed at PSG at the time.

Hoarau: “The Mister. Carlo Ancelotti cried when I left, there was emotion”

“The coach who made the biggest impression on you? The Mister. Carlo Ancelotti cried when I left, there was emotion. I saw him yell at Ibra, he never belittled anyone: ‘I would have liked to play you more, but you can see it’s not possible…’ We played in a 4-3-3, and there was Pastore, Lavezzi, Ibra, Gameiro, Ménez, Nene, and me. ‘Ibra, can you give me 5 minutes?’ ‘No!’ When you’re a substitute in training matches, it’s the end.”

In his story, Hoarau doesn’t try to reopen an old Parisian saga or settle scores. Instead, he highlights a strong human relationship with Carlo Ancelotti, a coach capable of honesty, authority, and emotion in a locker room otherwise crushed by competition.

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Between Ibrahimovic, Pastore, Lavezzi, Gameiro, Ménez, and Nenê, the former Paris Saint-Germain striker describes an overloaded attacking sector where minutes on the pitch became almost a luxury. His memory stands out precisely because of this contrast: on one side, the sporting brutality of an already established hierarchy; on the other, the way Ancelotti owned his decisions without humiliating those he used less. It’s not a sensational revelation, it’s a confidence that reveals a style of management.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.