The histories of Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain are far from inextricably linked, with our meeting in the 2025 UEFA Super Cup the first competitive fixture between the two clubs.
At just 55-years-old, PSG ranks among the younger of contemporary supergiants, and for much of their history, like Spurs, they were regarded as an impressive cup team with only a humble pedigree.
Superstars came and went, although there was more than sporadic success in the 80s and 90s, long before Qatar became aware of the fruitful possibilities that football investment could supply. The 2000s brought about a litany of crises, with financial woes threatening to compromise their existence.
It wasn't until Qatar Sports Investments arrived in the French capital that PSG started to emerge at the summit of the game. Over the past 15 years, they've monopolised Ligue 1 and welcomed the sport's grandest names to the Parc des Princes, all with the hope of conquering the continent. However, it took a considerable shift in policy for PSG to achieve their ultimate goal.
Their latest iteration is slightly more modest in terms of star power, but supreme as a collective. In Udine, Thomas Frank's Lilywhites are facing up against the undisputed best team in the world.
Luis Enrique's current squad is bereft of N17 connections, but there are six players who may well be torn as to who they support in the Super Cup. This lot all represented Tottenham and PSG, with varying degrees of success!
David Ginola
The swashbuckling Frenchman was far more than a pretty face. He was also great on "I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!"—a popular reality TV show in the UK.
Long before he got to grips with Steve from Corrie or EastEnders' Ian Beale, Ginola was dazzling supporters with his flamboyant, easy-on-the-eye wing play. A master technician, Ginola joined PSG in 1992 off the back of Canal+'s arrival as benefactors. He was an immediate hit, with his distinct talent overshadowing his youthful allegiances to fierce rivals Marseille.
He was named France's Footballer of the Year in 1993 before helping PSG to just their second league title in 1994, ending that campaign as PSG's leading scorer.
A move to Spurs came in 1997 following a rollercoaster ride at Newcastle, and Ginola took little time to capture hearts and minds. This club has long been associated with star soloists, and Ginola epitomised the allure of majestic individualism during his time at White Hart Lane. He appeared over 100 times in the Premier League, claiming PFA Players' Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year honours in 1999.
He stood out like a sore thumb in a so-so Spurs outfit, but was nonetheless stunned and upset when he was sold to Aston Villa in 2000.
Stephane Dalmat
Going from David Ginola to Stephane Dalmat is a bit like going from Harry Kane to Vincent Janssen. Nothing against Dalmat, but his spells at PSG and Spurs were unremarkable.
A creative midfielder who drew comparisons to Zinedine Zidane at the start of his career, Dalmat spent just a season at PSG and was loaned to Spurs after joining Inter in 2001.
He was gifted, but injuries limited his effectiveness in north London, as he made 22 Premier League appearances, scoring three goals. His loan wasn't made permanent, and after returning to France in 2006, Dalmat spent the remainder of his career in obscurity.
Benjamin Stambouli
Okay, we might've peaked incredibly early with Ginola. How Benjamin Stambouli got a gig in Paris after his Tottenham stint, I do not know.
The midfielder was no more than a steady Eddie at the start of his senior career with Montpellier, the sort of reliable figure that most teams seemingly boast. His unremarkable profile wasn't compensated by a semblance of consistency in N17, and he left after one forgettable season.
Still, Spurs ending up selling him to PSG for a £1.3m profit. He did play 40 times for the dominant French outfit under Laurent Blanc, but it was clear that Stambouli was not cut out for the elite. He susbequently spent five years at Schalke, and, at 35, is back in Ligue 1 with Metz.
Serge Aurier
The Ivorian had the talent to shut down the world's best on his day, but Serge Aurier was equally capable of sparking cardiac trouble among supporters every time he took to the field.
You simply never knew what you were going to get from the right-back, which made him oddly endearing. He was meant to replace Kyle Walker in north London, having spent three years in Paris.
In a way, Aurier was a success. He played 110 times for the club over four seasons, and enjoyed impressive runs of form when Jose Mourinho was at the helm. However, Kieran Trippier was Mauricio Pochettino's preferred choice after the Ivorian joined, and for good reason!
Aurier was simply far too chaotic and impulsive for any manager, other than José, to place any sort of trust in him.
Lucas Moura
I remember his full debut at Rochdale in early 2018, when Lucas Moura showed on a far from pristine pitch why he'd spent five years at PSG.
Many first interacted with the Brazilian via his 82-rated ’CAM’ card on FIFA 12—when he still had a bit of hair and was playing for Sao Paulo. He moved to Paris in 2013 for a then club-record fee, and appeared in at least 29 Ligue 1 games during his first four full seasons at the Parc des Princes.
Moura perhaps failed to boast the prestige of some of his teammates, but was nonetheless a key support piece for much of his time at the club. He oddly fell out of favour after his most productive season (2016/17), and there was an opportunity for Spurs to pounce midway through the 2017/18 campaign.
The Brazilian, again, was a supporting act in north London. Remarkably mobile and explosive, Moura was capable of the majestic, and he etched himself into Lilywhite folklore with that stunning hat-trick in Amsterdam. By the time he departed in 2023, Lucas had made 221 appearances for the club, scoring 39 times.
Giovani Lo Celso
The fateful summer of 2019, eh. The window that set the club back years.
Tanguy Ndombele could've been special, and it looked like Giovani Lo Celso was poised to emerge as the spiritual leader of a struggling Tottenham side just before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lo Celso was genuinely superb for a period of time during his first season at the club, but the pandemic spoiled his momentum, and his career never quite recovered.
The Argentine enjoyed loan spells in the safer haven of Spain, with Spurs struggling to get him off their books permanently. He eventually returned to Real Betis for £8.4m in 2024, having previously joined the La Liga club after an indifferent three-year spell at PSG.