PSG Humble Real Madrid in Club World Cup Rout to Set Up Final Against Chelsea

Paris Saint-Germain put on a masterclass at MetLife Stadium, thrashing Real Madrid 4-0 in the FIFA Club World Cup semifinal on Wednesday night. With the win, PSG storm into the final where they’ll face Chelsea on Sunday — and they’ll be brimming with confidence after what was arguably their most complete performance of the season.

From the first whistle, Luis Enrique’s side looked hungrier, sharper, and more cohesive. It took them just six minutes to draw first blood, as Fabián Ruiz slotted home the opener. Three minutes later, Ousmane Dembélé doubled the lead with a clever finish. By the 24th minute, Ruiz had added his second and PSG’s third, leaving Madrid in complete disarray. The match felt all but over before the half-hour mark. 

Real Madrid, despite boasting a star-studded lineup with Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Jr., never found their rhythm. There were moments of individual brilliance, but nothing that seriously threatened PSG’s control. Mbappé, facing his former club, cut a frustrated figure for most of the night. At one point, his irritation boiled over when he clashed with Bellingham over a failed passing sequence. 

Thibaut Courtois was arguably their best player — which says a lot about how one-sided the match was. He pulled off two brilliant saves to deny further damage, while PSG were guilty of missing a few clear chances. But the fourth goal eventually came in the 88th minute, when Gonçalo Ramos finished off a well-worked move to cap off the demolition. 

This PSG side, already winners of the Ligue 1 title, Coupe de France, and UEFA Champions League, are now just one step away from adding a Club World Cup crown to complete a historic quadruple. If they go on to beat Chelsea in the final, they’ll enter the conversation alongside the all-time great sides — think Barcelona’s 2011 team or Jupp Heynckes' Bayern Munich in 2013. 

For Madrid, it was a night to forget. Newly appointed boss Xabi Alonso watched on helplessly as his team was outplayed in every department. But while the result was painful, there are still positives to take. Alonso has only just begun his stint at the Bernabeu, and a deep run in the Club World Cup — even if it ended in a drubbing — gives him plenty of data and insight to shape the squad ahead of the 2025–26 season. For now, it’s PSG’s moment. They’re playing like a side with something to prove, and on Sunday, they’ll have the chance to cement their legacy.