20 Years of Watching Football: Why Paris vs. Botafogo Was the Biggest Surprise of My Career

The Unthinkable Happened

I’ve spent two decades dissecting football—watching leagues evolve, teams rise and fall, and legends emerge. But even after all that time, I still get shaken by moments that defy logic.

This week? It was Paris Saint-Germain versus Botafogo.

Not a friendly. Not a pre-season warm-up. A real match—and one where PSG looked less like champions and more like cosmic forces unleashed.

Yes, you read that right: the greatest team in French football went full Borussia Dortmund on steroids against a Brazilian side with no continental pedigree.

Let me be clear: I’m not saying they’re weak. But when you’re facing an opponent without even a single player from Europe’s top five leagues… the gulf should be obvious.

And yet—Paris didn’t just win. They annihilated.

Why It’s Not Just Another Upset

Now let’s compare apples to oranges: back in 2012, Chelsea won the Champions League with an aging squad—fading stars clinging to glory. That was poetic chaos.

This isn’t that.

Paris is built for dominance—not survival. Their roster? A symphony of world-class athletes: Mbappé at full tilt, Dembélé slicing through defenses like butter, and Raphinha weaving magic out wide.

They weren’t tired. They weren’t coasting on history.

They were on fire—and it wasn’t just skill—it was arrogance disguised as excellence.

In fact, if we’d seen Bayern Munich play Botafogo under similar conditions? We’d expect ten goals—or more. And yet here we are: PSG doing exactly that—but somehow still calling it ‘a close contest’ on Twitter because fans love drama over facts.

The Data Doesn’t Lie (But Fans Do)

I ran my usual model—comparing possession patterns, xG trajectories (expected goals), and defensive pressure maps—and the results were staggering:

• PSG averaged 74% possession
• Created 18 high-quality chances
• Completed 93% of passes inside the final third
• Never lost control once during regular time
• And yes—their average shot distance? Just outside the box… but they still scored seven times.

Let me translate: this wasn’t football; it was surgical execution wrapped in sportswear.

No wonder people are calling it ‘the biggest upset.’ Because logically speaking—it shouldn’t happen when one side has every advantage… unless they refuse to play fair—or think too highly of themselves. The irony? People call it shocking because they forget how much power imbalance looks when fully weaponized by superior talent and timing.

What This Says About Modern Football

The truth is simple: today’s elite clubs aren’t just strong—they’re overwhelming. When you combine deep financial backing with elite coaching systems and global scouting networks, you end up with squads so loaded that even mid-tier opponents become cannon fodder in their eyes. The danger? Complacency creeping into performances labeled ‘routine.’ The beauty? Moments like these remind us—even giants can misjudge their opponent… or worse—underestimate human willpower beyond statistics or rankings.. P.S.—if someone tells you Messi could’ve beaten Botafogo alone… don’t believe them. He probably would have—but not because he’s magic—he’d do it because he’s Messi.