PSG Retain UEFA Super Cup 2-1 as 17-Year-Old Brian Madjo Shines for Villa

Q: How did an award-winning Somalian referee shatter a major European ceiling and enforce a strict new football law?

Omar Artan shattered the ceiling by becoming the first non-European referee to officiate the UEFA Super Cup, taking charge of Paris Saint-Germain’s 2-1 win over Aston Villa in Salzburg. The 34-year-old Somali official arrived with strong credentials: he has been on FIFA’s international list since 2018, became the first Somali referee at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2024, handled a CAF Champions League final, and was named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025. His appointment was made through UEFA’s new cooperation agreement with the Confederation of African Football, giving an African referee a landmark role on one of Europe’s highest-profile club occasions. It was also a significant personal milestone after Artan had been selected for the 2026 World Cup but was unable to officiate there after being denied entry to the United States. In Salzburg, Artan also enforced one of football’s strict new laws: the five-second countdown on delayed restarts, including throw-ins. Under the rule, if a player takes too long, the referee visibly counts down with a raised hand. If the ball is not put back into play before the count ends, possession is reversed. For a throw-in, the opposition gets the throw; for a goal kick, the opposition is awarded a corner. By managing the match smoothly while applying that new law, Artan not only broke a historic European barrier but also showed he could handle elite-level officiating under new regulatory demands.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 12

Desire Doue’s second-half winner gave Paris Saint-Germain a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa, securing a second straight UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia put PSG ahead in the 20th minute with a powerful near-post strike, but Villa’s 17-year-old Brian Madjo equalized before halftime on his competitive debut.
Madjo, aged 17 years and 212 days, became the youngest player to appear in a Super Cup final and repeatedly troubled PSG’s defense, missing several first-half chances before scoring.
Omar Artan also drew attention in Salzburg as the first non-European referee of the UEFA Super Cup, later applying the new five-second throw-in countdown law.
The result underlined PSG’s continued edge in European showpiece matches while offering Villa encouragement from a breakout display by their teenage striker.