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Paris Saint-Germain Stun Real Madrid to Set Up Club World Cup Final with Chelsea

Paris Saint-Germain, the champions of Europe, will face Chelsea in the FIFA Club World Cup final after thrashing Spanish giants Real Madrid 4-0 at MetLife Stadium in New York, which will also host the highly anticipated final on Sunday.

PSG dominated the game from the start, capitalizing on Real Madrid’s defensive blunders, and could have scored even more goals were it not for a standout performance by Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

In contrast, Real Madrid’s players failed to keep up with their PSG counterparts, particularly in midfield, and did not trouble Italian keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma throughout the first half. Their star forward Kylian Mbappé, facing his former club, was unable to find the net.

The absence of newly signed defender Dean Huijsen, suspended after receiving a red card in the quarterfinal against Borussia Dortmund, was clearly felt by Real’s backline. With this loss—Real Madrid’s first under new manager Xabi Alonso—their season officially ends without a single title.

Match Highlights

PSG opened the scoring when Ousmane Dembélé pounced on a poor clearance from Raúl Asensio off a cross from Désiré Doué. Dembélé’s shot was blocked by Courtois, but the rebound fell to unmarked Spaniard Fabián Ruiz, who slotted it home with his left foot into the empty net (6’).

A second defensive error followed when Germany’s Antonio Rüdiger, under pressure in midfield, mishandled a back-pass from England’s Jude Bellingham. Dembélé capitalized again, stealing the ball, racing into the box, and finishing low with his left foot past Courtois (9’).

Ruiz added his second and PSG’s third in the 24th minute, finishing off a swift counterattack. Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi led the break, exchanging passes with Dembélé before feeding Ruiz in the box. The Spaniard danced around Real captain Federico Valverde and fired into the corner (24’).

Substitute Gonçalo Ramos rounded off the rout in the 87th minute, tapping in a pass from fellow substitute Bradley Barcola to the right of Courtois (87’).

Luis Enrique: We Are the Best

After the match, PSG manager Luis Enrique praised his team’s performance: “We’re a team that dominates possession, and it’s difficult for opponents to do the same. We took advantage of our early control and converted the chances we created. This is a well-deserved win.”

He added: “We’re having an incredible season. After winning the domestic titles and the Champions League, we’re now one game away from making history for both PSG and French football by winning every competition we’ve played in. That means a lot to us and our fans.”

Enrique also backed Dembélé for the Ballon d’Or, with the forward netting his 35th goal in 52 matches across all competitions this season: “When it comes to the Ballon d’Or, I believe it’s not just about scoring or assisting. It’s about helping your team win titles—and Dembélé does that more than anyone else.”

Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso admitted PSG’s superiority, stating: “We have many areas to improve and want to do things better. We must be self-critical, but today’s result will help us in the future.”