Yes, sporting performance matters, but for PSG, it’s also about looking good, pushing boundaries and brand building off the pitch
When Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Qatari Sports Investors took over Paris Saint-Germain in 2011, they had two major objectives. The first was to create a football team that could compete in Ligue 1, leverage the city of Paris and establish themselves as a force in the Champions League.
The second – and perhaps more important – was to flesh out a global empire. That was the task Fabien Allegre, now PSG's Chief Brand Officer, was assigned. At the time, it seemed an impossible challenge. The Parisians were a recognized name in the European soccer landscape, but they were nowhere near the power they have since become.
Flash forward nearly 15 years, and Allegre and his team have developed something immense. PSG isn’t as much of a football team as it is a movement, one in which on-field success is relevant, but not vital.
And, despite losing the Club World Cup final to Chelsea at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Allegre and his team have achieved what they always intended to do: build something bigger than just a jersey and penetrate a global soccer market that often rejects those who try to disrupt. And now, they are distinctive modern football brand.
“We have this unique capacity in the football world to address different kinds of audiences, considering that you can be a fan of PSG as a football club, but you can also be a fan of PSG the brand,” Allegre told GOAL.
AFP'How can you define in 2011 what will be the coolest brand in the sport industry in 2025?'
It seems odd, these days, to consider a soccer landscape in which PSG aren’t relevant. They have one of the most ubiquitous jerseys around. They have a bumper deal with Nike, have partnered with the Jordan brand on numerous kits, and are known for their ability to penetrate not only the soccer world but also the lifestyle that surrounds it.
And Allegre is the architect of it all. Selling Paris as a concept was remarkably easy, he admitted. It was built on one fundamental principle: Paris is young, diverse, and ever changing. PSG, in representing that city, should follow the same principle.
More importantly, it was allowed to.
That meant that there was no firm foothold, no archaic guidelines to be followed. PSG are a relatively young team, founded in 1970. Having what some might call “limited history” was spun, cleverly, into an advantage. There were no iconic touchpoints or old stories to fall back on. His solution? Think about the future, and adjust in real time – because that’s what Paris, the city, does.
“How can you define in 2011 what will be the coolest brand in the sport industry in 2025?” he said. “It’s kind of silly, it doesn’t work. So you need to be focused on how you define yourself as a brand, you know? If you want to define Paris Saint-Germain as a human being, what will be his character? What will be his looks? What will be his soul? The soul will never change, but move a little bit.”
The brand has only grown since then. Other clubs in Europe have distinct values to uphold that they must always fall back on. Real Madrid are built on notions of nostalgia and power. Liverpool have to keep in touch with their Scouse roots. Napoli are deeply embedded in Naples. Barcelona will always be Catalonian, and “mes que un club.”
And although PSG are grounded in what Allegre dubs “cultural credibility” it's their brand flexibility that sets them apart. They are able to adapt, move and subtly rebrand where other teams simply cannot.
“Sometimes it seems a bit chaotic, but it’s really well structured,” Allegre said. “Authenticity and cultural credibility, that’s our red line. Every human being has different senses of passion and emotion.”
AdvertisementGetty'Without a star, your project is going to be done!'
Although Allegre is quick to stress that PSG the brand and PSG the football team don’t have a direct relationship – and that he cannot influence the signings made by Luis Campos – it was clear in the early days that the Parisians were thinking about big names.
Al-Khelaifi went after every star possible during his first few years in Paris. David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani were all brought in. Later came Angel Di Maria, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, and, of course, Lionel Messi. There were other signings, too, but the idea was to spend big and build a team that could be marketed globally.
And it made sense. Good players make good teams. You will likely win football matches when you sign them. Domestically, that brought immense success, with PSG winning 11 Ligue 1 titles since 2012. In the Champions League, though, it was far less fruitful, a loss in the final in 2020 serving as their closest flirtation with European glory.
But two years ago, Allegre was asked to pivot. PSG knew that they would lose Mbappe to Real Madrid at the end of the season. Messi was gone, as was Neymar. PSG could no longer be driven by stars. They made some strategic signings, focused on youth. This is now a team without the traditional famous name (although Ousmane Dembele seems to be the Ballon d’Or frontrunner).
Where some might have seen a massive hit to a global brand, Allegre saw a perfect opportunity to adapt.
“Everyone in the football industry was like ‘Without a star, your project is going to be done!’ No. We have all of the big drama, the change of strategy, and then all of the people like ‘No, you’re not going to succeed, blah, blah, blah. And then two years after we succeed,” Allegre said.
There was no longer a need to lean on the big names. Instead, Paris could be Paris.
L.Valroff/PSG'Jordan was super big in the U.S.'
Part of the reason PSG works so well as a brand is its unapologetic pursuit of brands and cultural touchpoints outside of soccer.
There are no constraints, and no expense spared. Seven years ago, PSG collaborated with Jordan, signing a three-year partnership with the company. Since then, they have extended it, releasing capsule collections and jerseys every year.
Allegre said it was a turning point – especially in the American market.
“It was massive when we launched seven years ago, because Jordan was super big in the U.S. That was the first time when, from a cultural perspective, we mixed basketball and football,” Allegre said.
Since then, they have focused on expanding in the NBA scene. They have a deal with the Houston Rockets’ Kevin Durant, who is an investor in the club. Golden State’s Jimmy Butler was seen at some of their Club World Cup activation events in Los Angeles.
But it’s not just basketball. The Parisians have stretched outside sports, tapping into music, art and fashion to create something that breaks cultural barriers. In America, where soccer culture is still defining itself, the club simply has to give fans resources – effectively, stuff to buy and things to interact with – and then let them interpret PSG as they want.
“With no arrogance to say, we’re happy to be a part of the U.S., and we give you some guidelines, but it’s more for you to use us, and say How do you see your own Paris Saint Germain?” he said.
PSG'Sometimes we push a little bit far the boundaries'
The central approach as PSG look towards the future, Allegre said, is to anticipate the interests of the next generation. In effect, how can the Parisians listen to the kids? If they are the future, and they will define the sport for years to come, how can PSG facilitate its growth? It’s what they tried to do in 2011, and they continue to do now – even if that means rubbing some of the old heads the wrong way.
“Sometimes we push a little bit far the boundaries, and it’s not clear for what I call ‘The old voice of football’, but that’s the way we’ve been thinking,” Allegre said.
It’s something that soccer itself is often reluctant to confront. There is an appeal, charm and authenticity to football for 90 minutes, built on legacy brands that have always been relevant. But while some have pushed back, PSG have embraced it.
They were among the first European clubs to throw themselves into E-sports in 2016. They collaborated with U.K. rapper Central Cee for their third kit in 2024, and tapped into The Weeknd’s American appeal with a capsule collection last month.
Traditional soccer? No. And that’s the way PSG like it.
“The main focus for us is always to be in line with our positioning, which is to be the club of the new generation, meaning wherever you are coming from, wherever the interest you have in PSG is coming from, we are happy to host you in the family,” Allegre said.