Luis Enrique: Triumph, Tragedy, and PSG's Champions League Glory
It Was What It Was : The Football History Podcast
The Overlap
4.9 • 667 Ratings
🗓️ 6 June 2025
⏱️ 63 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Welcome to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast. Today, Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper explore the remarkable life and career of Luis Enrique, fresh off delivering Paris Saint-Germain’s first-ever Champions League title.
From leading Barcelona to a historic treble in 2015 to now rewriting PSG's narrative in Europe, Enrique’s managerial legacy is already carved into footballing folklore. But behind the silverware lies a deeply personal story; one of resilience, heartbreak, and unshakable determination.
In 2019, Enrique stepped away from football during his time as Spain’s national team coach after the tragic death of his 9-year-old daughter, Xana, who lost her battle with bone cancer. The podcast reflects on how he faced unimaginable grief and later returned to the sidelines with a renewed sense of focus, channeling his pain into purpose.
We also explore the lesser-known side of Enrique — the ultramarathon runner, the iron-willed competitor, and the fitness fanatic who demanded relentless physical commitment from his players. His obsession with endurance has shaped not only the way his teams play but also the culture he instills: high pressing, relentless movement, and mental toughness.
Where does Luis Enrique’s legacy stand now? From Gijón to Camp Nou to Paris, and from personal tragedy to professional triumph — this is a story of more than just football. It’s about the making of a modern great.
0:00 Introduction and Personal Reflection
00:32 Luis Enrique's Early Life and Background
04:15 Football Beginnings and Early Career
07:03 Transition to Real Madrid and Barcelona
16:06 International Career and Notable Incidents
22:52 Post-Playing Career and Coaching Beginnings
29:07 Luis Enrique's Coaching Journey
31:01 Barcelona's Missed Opportunity with Luis Enrique
32:36 Luis Enrique's Success at Celta Vigo
32:49 Barcelona's Second Chance with Luis Enrique
35:41 The Messi Conundrum
37:54 Luis Enrique's Triumphs and Challenges at Barcelona
44:53 The Tragic Loss of Luis Enrique's Daughter
47:15 Return to the Spanish National Team
52:26 Luis Enrique's Tenure at PSG
01:00:36 The Emotional Impact of Luis Enrique's Journey
01:02:41 Conclusion and Reflections
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I consider myself lucky, very lucky. |
| 0:10.6 | People say, but your daughter died at nine years old. |
| 0:13.9 | Well, my daughter came to live with us for nine wonderful years. |
| 0:17.6 | We have thousands of memories from her. Videos. Incredible things. Welcome to |
| 0:22.7 | It Was What It Was, the Football History podcast. I'm Jonathan Wilson. I'm with Rob Draper. And that was |
| 0:26.6 | Louis Enrique, talking about his daughter, Zana, who died six years ago from bone cancer. |
| 0:32.3 | Now, today we're going to be talking about Louis Sanrique, who has just become the second coach |
| 0:36.9 | in history to win Trebles |
| 0:38.2 | with two different teams, having lifted the Champions League last Saturday with PSG, with that |
| 0:44.1 | great 5-nil victory over Inter. |
| 0:46.9 | So it's really about Louis Enrique, about his background, where he comes from, the tradition |
| 0:52.2 | that he stands in. |
| 0:54.0 | But where does it begin for him |
| 0:55.4 | well i think it's an extraordinary story and perhaps under told until this moment i mean probably |
| 1:03.6 | well told in spain but i think people we familiar obviously for louis henrique as a great player for the |
| 1:08.6 | spanish national team for Real Madrid and Barcelona, |
| 1:15.1 | but maybe the details of his story aren't known as well. |
| 1:20.0 | And he's born in Gijon in May 1970, so he's 55 years old now. |
| 1:22.2 | And Gijon is right on the coast. |
| 1:43.6 | It's in Asturias, which is one of the northern regions of Spain. Really important industrial region, mining is very big in Asturias. It's a beautiful area, mountainous, verdant, green. Obviously, seafaring is massive as well. It's where whaling expeditions used to set out from. |
| 1:46.6 | So are you claiming him as part of the Great Basque tradition? Because it's not far. Well, I wondered whether I could squeeze them in. Go back |
| 1:52.5 | and listen to our podcast on the rise of Basque coaches. I think you kind of can. Obviously, |
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