Damian Penaud crowned European Player of the Year after staggering try record

Bordeaux-Begles winger Damian Penaud has been crowned European Player of the Year after playing a key role in his side’s Champions Cup triumph.

Penaud, who scored two of his side’s four tries in their 28-20 win over Northampton Saints in the final in Cardiff, is also the third Frenchman to win the award in a row, following in the footsteps of Antoine Dupont and Gregory Alldritt.

Damian Penaud named European Player of the Year

The French international scored 14 tries in eight games on the way to their historic triumph, breaking the record for most tries in a single campaign. He also broke the record for most tries in a single game, running in six scores against the Sharks in the pool stages.

Northampton Saints v Bordeaux-Begles, HOW IT HAPPENED: Our blog of the Champions Cup Final

Penaud’s try-scoring antics were a key reason behind his major award, however, he was an all-round attacking machine in Bordeaux’s journey to European glory as he led the stats leaderboards for both assists and linebreaks heading into the final.

Your @Investec Player of the Year – Damian Penaud 🔥

With a record FOURTEEN tries this season including two in the Final, the @UBBrugby winger lifts the Anthony Foley Memorial trophy 🏆#InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/sPXU1b9Z0d

— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) May 24, 2025

He also beat out Jordie Barrett, Caelen Doris, Jamison Gibson-Park, Maxime Lucu, Henry Pollock, Thomas Ramos and Jack Willis in scooping the major award, and now joins the roll call alongside the likes of Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje, Josh van der Flier and Jonny Wilkinson.

Speaking on receiving the award and reflecting on the Champions Cup final, Penaud said: “Tonight I’m very proud of the team. This competition is very difficult, and we have to play in the Top 14 too, but tonight is an emotional moment because we’ve won.

“I’m really proud for my team, the President (of the club) and my family, it’s for them.

“Playing in this stadium is great. We could hardly hear anything, it’s difficult to talk to each other but we are very proud.

“First of all, we will drink beer and then after that we will think about the Top 14. We are so happy to be here and win this trophy.”

READ MORE: Bordeaux-Begles end wait for Champions Cup glory with vintage win over Northampton Saints