Who is Matvey Safonov? PSG hero behind first FIFA Intercontinental Cup triumph

The Russian goalkeeper helped his side complete a sextuple.

Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Matvey Safonov was the hero of the game as they defeated Flamengo at the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final to complete a historic sextuple. However, it wasn’t as simple as it sounds.

The Libertadores and Brasileirão champions forced the UEFA Champions League winners into penalty shootouts. There, PSG won because of their second-choice goalkeeper, who stopped four of Flamengo’s five shots. The goalkeeper stood out even under pressure as his teammates, Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola, missed their shots.

When Luis Enrique chose Matvey Safonov, fans were taken aback. Lucas Chevalier, PSG’s primary custodian and the man Luis Enrique notably selected to take Gianluigi Donnarumma’s position after Donnarumma left for Manchester City, has been troubled with injuries since his first few months with PSG. Matvey Safonov stepped in, playing three games and keeping two clean sheets in France.

However, his moment came during PSG’s game against Flamengo in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final, where he was picked ahead of their first-choice goalkeeper Chevalier.

With both sides failing to find the winner, the game headed into a shootout. In the penalty shootout, he saved four shots after failing to stop Jorginho’s penalty in the Intercontinental Cup final, which resulted in PSG becoming only the third club to win a sextuple.

Luis Enrique has indicated before that no player, not even the goalkeeper, has a guaranteed spot in the starting lineup and that players must vie for their spot. His fourth game this season has been heroic. Will Safonov take over as PSG’s primary custodian in the future?

Who is PSG backup goalkeeper Matvey Safonov?

It’s been only a year since Safonov joined the French side from Russian club Krasnodar in 2024. Safonov spent the majority of his playing career with the Russian club and was their primary goalkeeper. He began his career in Krasnodar’s youth side, and his performance saw him get elevated to the senior team.

The 26-year-old Matvey Safonov signed in June 2024 after playing for Krasnodar from 2017 to 2024. He only made 17 appearances in all competitions during the 2024–2025 season, 10 of which were in Ligue 1, including a Champions League game against Bayern Munich and the Coupe de France final against Reims, where he also kept a clean sheet.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram.