Following Paris Saint-Germain’s victory against Arsenal on Tuesday, an unexpected gesture of sportsmanship occurred. Despite UEFA officially naming Vitinha as the Man of the Match, the Portuguese midfielder chose to pass on the honor to his teammate, Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Vitinha took to social media to share a photo from the PSG dressing room, featuring himself alongside Donnarumma and the MVP trophy. The image was captioned “The real MVP,” highlighting Vitinha’s admiration for his teammate’s performance.

Donnarumma’s exceptional goalkeeping during the match at Emirates Stadium earned him widespread praise, particularly from Italian media outlets. The prestigious Gazzetta dello Sport also named him their Man of the Match, further validating his crucial role in PSG’s success.

Even former AC Milan and Italy defender Alessandro Costacurta commended Donnarumma’s performance. He remarked, “While some French critics may point out Donnarumma’s occasional struggles when coming off his line, they often overlook the fact that he excels in every other aspect of goalkeeping. His two incredible saves in this match were testament to his world-class abilities.”

This act of recognition from Vitinha not only showcases the team spirit within PSG but also reinforces Donnarumma’s status as one of the world’s premier goalkeepers. It serves as a reminder of the significant impact a goalkeeper can have on a match’s outcome, even when outfield players often receive more attention.