Nuno Mendes equals Phil Foden trophy record as PSG lift Intercontinental Cup: “We don’t know if we’ll ever play in this again,” says MVP Vitinha | OneFootball

Ramos, Mendes, Vitinha, Neves are world champions (Image: Gettyimages)

When Paris Saint-Germain overcame Brazilian side Flamengo 2-1 on penalties in the final of the Intercontinental Cup on Wednesday, it was fitting that Portuguese duo Nuno Mendes and Vitinha were the sole scorers for their club in the shootout.

After a 1-1 draw in normal time, the European champions just about saw off their South American counterparts in contest from 12 yards which saw 6 from a total of 9 spot-kicks missed, with the Brazilian outfit failing to convert four in a row.

Great recognition awaited Mendes and Vitinha after the final whistle, which confirmed PSG’s sixth trophy of the calendar year. Full-back Mendes matched a record set by Manchester City’s Phil Foden for the most career trophies accumulated during the year he turned 23, having made it 16 honours for the former Sporting man.

Meanwhile, Vitinha was named Man of the Match in the final, after another glowing performance on the big stage for the midfielder. The 25-year-old Seleção maestro had a 92% pass accuracy from 98 total passes, while Vitinha also made ten ball recoveries, showing the multi-functional nature of his role.

The final of this season’s competition, disputed by continental champions from across the world, pitted Champions League holders PSG against a Flamengo side who had already navigated the quarter-finals and semi-final in the last week, while their European counterparts were seeded for the final.

Held in Qatar, Wednesday's clash saw PSG go ahead through Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the first period, but veteran midfielder Jorginho levelled from the penalty spot in the second half for the Brazilians. The penalty shoutout was a tense affair during which nerves got the better of both sides, particularly the South Americans who after converting their opener missed four consecutive takes.

That means PSG remarkably won the shootout with a kick to spare despite missing two of their four kicks, as Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé blazed over and Bradley Barcola saw his saved. Vitinha and Nuno Mendes both kept their nerve to score the decisive penalties and give PSG their first-ever win in the competition.

"I had the opportunity to speak with the Flamengo players and congratulate them,” Vitinha said after the match. “They are at the end of their season and played a fantastic game. Even when they couldn't recover the ball, they defended very well. They deserve a lot of credit for taking the game to penalties.

“Fortunately, we had luck and quality in the shootout. I know there are no moral victories, but what they did here is not easy, they deserve a lot of credit. Congratulations to Flamengo. We knew they would be among the 'top' teams and they were. They made the game very difficult.

"This competition is super important, we don't know if we'll play it again in our careers. You have to win the Champions League and it's very difficult to be here, it's a great opportunity, we didn't want to let it pass. PSG sees it that way, it's a very prestigious competition and we wanted to win it 100%. We did everything to win.”

Mendes’ growing medal haul

Mendes, meanwhile, joins Phil Foden of Manchester City in securing a record 16 trophies in the year of his 23rd birthday. In addition to the Intercontinental Cup, Mendes has four French league titles, two French Cups, three French Super Cups, one Champions League and one European Super Cup. In his homeland with Sporting, Mendes won a Portuguese League title, a League Cup, and a Super Cup. The remaining trophy was won with the Portuguese national team: the Nations League.

"[To win our sixth trophy of the calendar year] is a pride to be part of the club's history,” Mendes said. “With each passing year, we realise that we are becoming an even bigger team. We have a winning mentality and I think that's what made the difference."

Fellow Portuguese João Neves played the full 90 minutes in midfield for PSG, adding to his growing trophy cabinet for a player so young, Gonçalo Ramos was an unused substitute but collects another winners’ medal.

By Sean Gillen