Paris Saint-Germain’s stars found themselves basking in some Hollywood glamour during their time in the United States for the FIFA Club World Cup, as several of the club’s standout players, including Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembélé, received personalized Los Angeles Lakers jerseys in a high-profile gesture that united football and basketball royalty.
The gesture came from the Lakers, one of the NBA’s most iconic franchises, known for blending sports excellence with global pop culture. The NBA franchise presented customized jerseys to PSG players, complete with their names and preferred squad numbers, as part of a cross-sport celebration and marketing move timed with the French club’s presence in California.
A Symbolic Gift for Global Stars
Kvaratskhelia, PSG’s newly signed Georgian sensation, was seen smiling widely as he held up his purple-and-gold jersey emblazoned with his name and the number 7 — the same number he’s expected to wear for the club. Dembélé, who has long had a connection to American sports culture, also proudly posed with his jersey, numbered 10, symbolizing both his on-pitch flair and his admiration for NBA superstars.
Other PSG players, including Marquinhos, Achraf Hakimi, and Gianluigi Donnarumma, were similarly honored, each receiving their own tailored Lakers gear in what appeared to be a coordinated collaboration between PSG and the NBA team. The jerseys were handed out during a private club event in Los Angeles, where the Parisians were preparing for their Club World Cup campaign.
Football Meets Basketball in a Cultural Exchange
The crossover between PSG and the Lakers isn’t entirely new. Both clubs are owned or heavily associated with massive global entertainment conglomerates — PSG with Qatar Sports Investments and the Lakers with the Buss family, backed by wide entertainment and media appeal. The two organizations have also intersected in branding and cultural influence before, particularly through collaborations with fashion labels, artists, and digital media platforms.
This gesture marks yet another chapter in the ongoing fusion of football and basketball cultures. PSG’s partnership with Jordan Brand — itself under the Nike umbrella with NBA roots — has already made the club a fashion-forward icon on the football scene. Meanwhile, the Lakers have long enjoyed connections with global football stars, with players like LeBron James expressing admiration for footballers and even investing in Liverpool FC.
Timing Couldn’t Be Better
The timing of the gift coincides with PSG’s growing presence in the U.S. market, especially as they compete in the revamped Club World Cup, which has drawn significant attention from American audiences. With stars like Kvaratskhelia and Dembélé on the squad, and with Kylian Mbappé’s recent departure opening new leadership roles, the club is keen to showcase its next generation of icons — and what better way than doing so in one of the world’s most media-savvy cities?
The jerseys serve not just as gifts, but as symbolic tokens of cross-sport respect and marketing brilliance. PSG players wearing Lakers gear immediately becomes a viral visual, especially among younger fans who follow both leagues across social media platforms.
Reactions from Players and Fans
Both Kvaratskhelia and Dembélé shared photos with their jerseys on Instagram, thanking the Lakers for the thoughtful surprise. “What an honor from one legendary team to another,” Kvaratskhelia wrote, hinting at his respect for the NBA and admiration for its stars. Dembélé kept it light with a post captioned, “From Paris to LA. #LakeShow.”
Fans of both clubs flooded the comments with excitement, praising the unity between the two sporting giants. “This is why we love global sports culture — the blending of styles, cities, and stars,” one fan commented.
Building a Global Sports Brand
For PSG, the gesture underscores their ambition to become more than a football club — but a global lifestyle brand. By aligning with the Lakers, who have mastered that blend of sport and stardom for decades, the French giants send a clear message about their identity and trajectory.
Meanwhile, for the Lakers, it’s a demonstration of their cultural dominance beyond basketball — offering recognition and respect to some of the world’s most marketable footballers, who themselves are followed by millions globally.
As the Club World Cup progresses, expect more headlines that blend sport with spectacle — and if this latest cross-sport moment is any indication, PSG’s American journey is
about much more than just football.
