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Brian Madjo, a 17-year-old forward who was only cleared to play eight days ago, struck just before half-time to pull Aston Villa level against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup Final. The match sat at 1-1 at the break, with PSG’s early dominance answered by one of the most dramatic equalizers the competition has seen in years.
The scene at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg on August 12 had all the ingredients of a European final that nobody outside Birmingham would have predicted a few seasons ago. PSG, the reigning Champions League and Super Cup holders, against Aston Villa, the Europa League champions. One side built on hundreds of millions in transfer spending. The other sending out a teenager who needed a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling to even be eligible.
Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring, then Madjo answered
PSG looked comfortable early. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the Georgian winger who has become one of European football’s most dangerous attackers, found the net around the 20-minute mark. Désiré Doué provided the assist, and the Parisian side seemed well on course to add another trophy to their collection.
Then Madjo happened.
John McGinn, the Scottish midfielder who has been at the heart of Villa’s European journey, whipped in a cross just before the half-time whistle. Madjo, standing 6 feet 4 inches tall, met it with a left-footed strike that beat PSG’s goalkeeper.
At 17 years old, Madjo became one of the youngest scorers in UEFA Super Cup history. The fact that his eligibility was only confirmed on August 4 through a successful CAS appeal makes the goal feel almost scripted.
A teenager who averages a goal every 44 minutes
Madjo’s equalizer didn’t come out of nowhere, even if his name is unfamiliar to most casual fans. During Villa’s pre-season, the young forward averaged a goal every 44 minutes.
He paired with João Gomes, the midfielder Villa signed from Wolves for £38 million, in a setup that Emery has clearly been building toward. Gomes provided the engine room creativity while Madjo offered the physical presence and finishing instinct up front, joined by George Hemmings in an attack that blends youth with intent.
The CAS appeal that cleared Madjo to play was resolved just over a week before the final. Villa went from potentially missing their most exciting young talent to watching him score in a European final within the span of eight days.
A rivalry with recent history
This isn’t the first time these two clubs have met with silverware adjacent. PSG knocked Aston Villa out of the Champions League quarter-finals during the 2024-25 season, winning 5-4 on aggregate.
Villa responded by winning the Europa League, which booked this rematch. PSG, meanwhile, went on to win the Champions League and entered this Super Cup as holders of both the competition itself and the trophy being contested.
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