There are many beautiful pictures of Luis Enrique and his daughter Xana. In 2015 she was five years old and on the pitch with him in Berlin as his Barcelona side beat Paris St-Germain to win the Champions League, completing a treble.
Now in charge of PSG, Enrique won the Champions League and another treble in Germany again on Saturday night, with his side thrashing Inter Milan 5-0 in an imperious display. Tragically, Xana was not alongside him.
She died in 2019, three months before her 10th birthday, having suffered from the rare bone cancer osteosarcoma. One image from the 2015 celebrations particularly stood out – the sight of Xana waving a flag in the centre circle as her clearly adoring father watches on and spreads his arms in delight.
Shortly after PSG’s first Champions League title was confirmed Enrique changed into a T-shirt paying tribute to his daughter, with an illustration of the manager and his daughter planting a PSG flag. It was rendered in a similar style to the merchandise sold by the Fundación Xana, the charity Enrique and his family set up to help support children suffering from serious illnesses.
Luis Enrique, PSG head coach, poses for a photo with his Champions League winners medal, while wearing a T-shirt in tribute to his late daughter Xana
Enrique had said his daughter, rendered on this T-shirt, would be with him spiritually at the final - Getty Images/Carl Recine
It was, though, not the only image of Enrique and Xana in Munich on Saturday as, after his side lifted the trophy the travelling Parisian fans unveiled a tifo showing their manager planting a flag on the centre spot. Xana, in PSG colours, looks on. When Enrique spotted it he seemed almost overcome with emotion at what was a tremendously powerful moment.
The image is one Enrique has spoken about before, saying before the match that he hoped to echo his Berlin moment in Munich. “I have incredible memories because my daughter loved parties, and I’m sure she’s still throwing them wherever she is,” he said.
”I remember an incredible photo I have with her at the Champions League final in Berlin, after winning the Champions League, planting an FC Barcelona flag on the pitch. I hope to be able to do the same with PSG.
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“My daughter won’t be there, she won’t be there physically, but she will be there spiritually, and that’s very important to me. I’m motivated to continue moving forward with what life gives me, sharing it with my family.”
Remarkable what a few years can do for a football club. It was not difficult to find fault with the PSG of 2021-23, during their attempt to recreate Real Madrid’s galactico era. Where is the romance in stockpiling the world’s most marketable players and assuming it will be enough to guarantee success?
It has taken a dramatic strategic shift and the genius of Enrique to forge a proper team rather than a collection of individuals. That takes more than tactics and wise recruitment, it requires a shared purpose too. It helps when you have a leader to believe in and clearly that is what they have in Enrique.
PSG's head coach Luis Enrique (right), his wife Elena Cullell (second left), son Pacho Martinez (left) and daughter Sira Martinez (second right) pose with the trophy after his side's 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final, Allianz Arena, Munich,Germany, May 31, 2025.
Luis Enrique with his son Pacho Martinez (left), wife Elena Cullell (second left) and daughter Sira Martinez after the 5-0 win in Munich - Getty Images/Ina Fassbender
The image of Enrique and Xana – both on his T-shirt but also in the stands – is one that will be remembered for a long time to come.