Everything was decided in the final moments of the match. The Montpellier players narrowly lost with a score of 3 goals to 2. PSG wins the 2026 Coupe Gambardella final.
“It’s a big disappointment, we would have liked to at least go to penalties but we gave it our all, that’s how football is. Today, the whole team was good and I am proud of them.” The mood was one of disappointment this Friday evening at the Stade de France for Tidiane Diallo, captain of MHSC.
The young Hérault footballers did not manage to win the Coupe Gambardella.
The final of the French U18 Cup turned in favor of Paris Saint-Germain (3-2) in extra time, with a penalty converted by Mathis Jangeal. For Montpellier, there will be no fourth title after 1996, 2009, and 2017: a new, cruelly lost final, after a scenario that had long raised hopes of a different outcome.
In this legendary French football stadium, the 80,000 seats were not filled at kick-off, but the crowd gradually increased as the match progressed.
The Gambardella, a true stepping stone to the professional world, remains one of the major youth football competitions in France. The French U18 Cup, it showcases the talents of tomorrow in front of recruiters and professional football, in the symbolic setting of the Stade de France.
On the field, the first half offered a completely open scenario. PSG struck first in the 11th minute with Younes Idder, set up by Mathis Jangeal. Montpellier immediately responded with Noah Vidal Cartoux (17th), before taking the lead through Robin Thiland (21st) after a well-built play. But Paris equalized before half-time: Jangeal scored in the 39th minute with a powerful shot to the near post.
At halftime, everything was to play for (2-2), in a highly paced final.
The second half was more closed, more tactical as well. The two teams neutralized each other for long minutes, each seeking an opening without managing to gain the upper hand. PSG was more aggressive, Montpellier never managed to capitalize. The Parisian dismissal of David Boly then suggested that MHSC could change their fate, but the Hérault team failed to take advantage.
Just as penalties seemed imminent, the final turned in the final moments. A deep pass caused a foul in the Montpellier area: penalty for Paris in stoppage time. Mathis Jangeal did not hesitate and handed the trophy to PSG in the 95th minute. Final score: 3 goals to 2.
For Paris, Mathis Jangeal, the hero of the evening, savors his team’s victory: “we knew it was going to be tough but we are a great team. It was definitely pleasing.”
Montpellier coach Michel Rodriguez is naturally disappointed. He said on France TV: “we did what was necessary, we always have regrets so close to the goal. We lacked a bit of maturity. It’s cruel, but football doesn’t lie. We need to learn from this match.”
Accustomed to shining in football’s elite, PSG had not won the Coupe Gambardella for 35 years.
