Luis Enrique, Determination Through Tragedy

After Paris Saint-Germain secured a 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League final, Luis Enrique changed his attire. The PSG coach wore a shirt that read "We are the champions." There was a cartoon image referencing him and his daughter, Xana, planting the club's flag on the field together.

Not long after, PSG supporters displayed their own tribute. A giant flag was unfurled in the stands of the Muenchen Football Arena on Sunday (1/6/2025) early in the morning WIB. The flag featured an image of a father planting a flag alongside his daughter wearing a PSG jersey.

Both the supporters' flags and the shirt worn by Enrique were inspired by the famous portrait of the coach with his son after the 2014-2015 Champions League final. Xana, who was five years old at the time, waved a Barcelona flag and then watched as her father planted the flag on the grass in Berlin after the club defeated Juventus, 3-1.

The tribute added to the emotional atmosphere of PSG's victory night as they claimed the Champions League title for the first time. All their "sufferings" in pursuit of the Champions League were erased in one of the greatest performances ever produced by any team in a European final.

Suffering also belongs to Enrique. All doubts, due to his trust in young players and the absence of megastar players in the team, have been dispelled. This is the result of his steadfastness, a mentality that he always demonstrates even in difficult moments, including when facing the tragedy of losing his daughter.

Long before the final match between PSG and Inter Milan, Enrique had stated that his moment with Xana a decade ago was a beautiful memory. The coach, often referred to as Lucho, wishes to recreate it under the PSG banner.

"My daughter will not be physically present, but she will be present spiritually, and that is very important to me," said Enrique at a press conference for Ligue 1 or the French League against RC Lens, last January.

"I am motivated to keep moving forward, facing whatever happens in my life," she said again when asked how she found strength after the loss of her daughter.

Xana was nine years old when she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. Enrique decided to leave his job as the coach of the Spanish national team when Xana's illness began to worsen.

For five months, Xana was treated at Sant Joan de Deu, a children's hospital in Barcelona. She spent her final hours at home, surrounded by her family members.

Enrique expressed his gratitude to PSG supporters for the tribute to his late daughter. However, he also stated that he will always remember his child, with or without trophies, with or without tributes.

"He's here, supporting my family. (We) feel his presence, even when we lose. (It's) all about putting together everything we've been through and taking the positives from a negative situation," Enrique said after the match against Inter, as quoted by The Athletic.

"That is my mentality, our mentality as a family. It is truly fantastic to see it, but I do not need a trophy to think about my daughter. She is always here," he said again.

Enrique once said that Xana was like a star that not only always accompanied him but also guided him. Xana became his mentor through difficult moments. This is because Enrique's life was not always smooth, both before and after Xana's departure.

Long ago, when he was still a player, Enrique was forced to end his career due to frequent injuries. However, one of the most famous moments from the journey of the man born on May 8, 1970, was his controversial decision in 1996.

After winning four titles for Real Madrid, including one La Liga trophy in 1994-1995, Enrique chose to leave for rival club Barcelona. His steadfastness in a decision that seemed indifferent bore fruitful results.

The doubts of Barcelona supporters were dispelled by Enrique's impressive performance over eight years, during which he secured eight trophies. He also served as the team captain and scored several goals at crucial moments, including against Real Madrid in El Clasico.

As a coach, Enrique has had a journey that has never been free from rocks and doubts. When coaching the Barcelona B team in 2008-2011, for example, he successfully brought the team back to the Segunda Division after an 11-year absence. However, Enrique failed to bring the team to promotion despite reaching the playoffs.

At AS Roma thereafter, Enrique also chose to resign at the end of the season after experiencing a challenging full season. At that time, AS Roma failed to qualify for European competition.

Upon returning to Barcelona in 2014, this time as the head coach, he invited skepticism by giving opportunities to young players. Take, for example, Munir El Haddadi and Rafinha. Enrique also did not hesitate to bench key players of the team, such as Xavi and Lionel Messi.

But, as is his trademark, Enrique dismissed those doubters by leading Barcelona to a treble in the 2014-15 season, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. The following season, Barcelona added another trophy by winning the European Super Cup and the Copa del Rey.

At PSG, doubts once again overshadow Enrique. The ambition to win the Champions League seems like a dream that is too big to be realized. Moreover, "Les Parisiens" are stumbling in the early stages of the Champions League.

Marquinhos and his friends could not automatically qualify for the round of 16 because they were ranked 15th in the league phase. They must fight again in the playoff round of the knockout phase.

"On my first day at PSG, when my French was even worse than it is now, I stated that my main goal was to fill the trophy cabinet," said Enrique.

"The only trophy that is missing is the Champions League, and here we are. We have fulfilled that expectation. We are ambitious and will continue to strive to conquer the world of football. It is very gratifying when you can make people you do not know happy," he added.

Winger Desire Doue, who inspired PSG's early lead over Inter with two goals and one assist, stated that Enrique is not only a coach with good tactics. Enrique is also a coach and a figure with an extraordinary mentality and personality.

If we look at Enrique's long journey, including the experiences of tragedy and sorrow, the success of bringing home the Champions League title and "repeating" moments with his child is akin to a milestone affirming the strength and determination of the strategist.

“The most negative experiences in your life are the ones that teach you the most,” Enrique said in this year’s documentary No Teneis Ni P*** Idea (You Have No F****** Idea), as quoted by The Athletic.

"(People might think,) 'But your little daughter, your daughter, passed away at the age of nine...'. My daughter came to live with us for nine wonderful years. We have thousands of memories of her. I consider myself fortunate. Very fortunate," he said.

Becoming a coach is sometimes a solitary path that must be taken. With a heavy burden, pressure from all sides, and persistent doubts, Enrique must navigate through it to achieve success. However, along this journey, Enrique believes that he is not walking it alone.

Biography of Luis Enrique

Born: Gijon, Spain, May 8, 1970

Player career:

-Sporting Gijon B (1988-1990)

-Sporting Gijon (1989-1991)

-Real Madrid (1991-1996)

-Barcelona (1996-2004)

Coaching career:

-Barcelona B (2008-2011)

-AS Roma (2011-2012)

-Celta Vigo (2013-2014)

-Barcelona (2014-2017)

-Spanish National Team (2018-2019)

-Spanish National Team (2019-2022)

-Paris Saint-Germain (2023-)

Achievements:

-European Champions League Champion 2014-2015 (Barcelona Coach)

-European Champions League Champion 2024-2025 (PSG Coach)