Inside the making of your favourite photo from PSG’s Champions League final win over Arsenal | OneFootball

Readers picked their favourite image from the 2026 Champions League final, where PSG beat Arsenal 1-1, 4-3 on penalties to claim their second European crown. According to L'Équipe, celebration scenes filled three of the top four, with the shot titled La libération taking more than a quarter of the vote.

On matchday, three photographers were at Puskas Arena and two in Paris, then three more covered the next day’s festivities.

Inside the stadium, movement was tightly controlled and each photographer had a fixed position. In second-half extra time, Alain Mounic was on Arsenal’s attacking side, away from the looming shootout, and used the pause before penalties to move.

Pre-match planning mapped out every scenario, from decisive kicks to the trophy lift. Stéphane Mantey was on pool duty facing the players, Mounic left of the podium for a different angle, and Pierre Lahalle opposite the ceremony near PSG’s end.

The winning frame came during the shootout, from the dugouts side in the half where the result would be settled. Stationed there to catch PSG’s release if they prevailed, Mounic trained his Nikon Z9 on the players while tracking the London taker. A defender missed and PSG erupted.

Technically, he used a 200-400mm lens at 320mm. Aperture f/5.6 kept detail while separating the subjects, 1/1600 froze movement, and ISO 5000 delivered clean exposure under the Puskas Arena lights. Beyond settings, the image distils a shared, unforgettable moment.

Source: L'Équipe