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Russia’s Safonov makes football goalkeeping history in French PSG FIFA championship win

The final match of the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup between Paris Saint-Germain football club from France and Brazilian Flamengo FC was played at the 45,000-seat capacity Ahmad bin Ali Stadium

Matvey Safonov Mikhail Tereshchenko/TASS

Matvey Safonov

© Mikhail Tereshchenko/TASS

MOSCOW, December 18. /TASS/. Russia’s Matvey Safonov chalked up a new world record among greatest football goalkeepers with four saves in a row during a penalty shootout in the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar final match in Qatar.

The final match of the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup between Paris Saint-Germain football club from France and Brazilian Flamengo FC was played at the 45,000-seat capacity Ahmad bin Ali Stadium with a reported attendance of over 42,100.

"Meeting for the first time in a FIFA competition, Les Rouge et Bleu proved too strong for their Brazilian counterparts on the night and ensured that they ended 2025 on a high and added to their UEFA Champions League crown," a statement from FIFA reads.

The regular time of the match ended with 1-1 draw that saw PSG’s left winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia net the first ball in the 38th minute and Flamengo’s Italian-born midfielder Jorginho tying it on a penalty kick in the 62nd minute.

The match’s extra time period was scoreless, paving the way for a dramatic penalty shootout. Goalkeeper Safonov shined during PK’s, saving four out of five balls and leading his club to win the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup.

"In front of their travelling support, it was PSG who prevailed 2-1 after an enthralling shootout, in which six of the nine penalties were missed or saved. However, it was Matvey Safonov who became the hero saving the decisive spot kick from Luiz Araujo," the FIFA statement added.

Before the penalty shootout Safonov left his goalkeeping box to shake hands with Brazilian club’s goalkeeper Agustin Rossi.

On the first penalty kick, the Russian goalie dived to the left, while Flamengo’s midfielder Diego De La Cruz sent one into the net near the right post.

However, the Russian goalkeeper saved the four following strikes delivered by the Brazilian club’s players Saul, Pedro, Leo Pereira and Luiz Araujo.

The 2025 Intercontinental Cup in Qatar is the second edition of the annual football club associations’ tournament organized by FIFA. The tournament comprised the six teams that won the previous edition of the continental championships in each of the FIFA Confederations, playing against each other in a single-elimination bracket between September 14 and December 17, 2025.

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