At MetLife Stadium on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, PSG crushed Real Madrid 4-0 in the FIFA Club World Cup semifinal.
Fabian Ruiz scored twice (6′ and 24′), Ousmane Démbélé scored at 9′, and Gonçalo Ramos sealed the victory in 87′. The goals came quickly.
PSG showed serious defensive weaknesses, as early mistakes by Antonio Rüdiger and Raúl Asencio resulted in goals.
Real Madrid lost important players when they switched from a back-five to a four-man defense. The tactical reorganization of Xabi Alonso did not work out.
Thibaut Courtois said that the team “did not press as a unit” and that they sensed their unity on the field disintegrate quickly.
Xabi Alonso described it as a “sad defeat,” emphasizing the amount of work Real Madrid still needs to do to catch up to PSG.
The Spanish media were brutal, calling the defeat a humiliation and raising significant concerns about Alonso’s new strategy.
While criticizing Real Madrid’s fragmented, star-dependent setup, pundits equally complimented PSG’s collective genius, particularly under Luis Enrique.
Club legends Luka Modrić and Lucas Vázquez made their farewell Real Madrid appearances in this game; it was a melancholy conclusion to a heartbreaking defeat.
The 4–0 thumping of Real Madrid by PSG was more than simply a score; it was a psychological and tactical statement. Their intensity, accuracy, and press revealed a team still getting used to new management. For Real, it serves as a sobering reminder that identity clarity and time are necessary for reconstruction.
In an attempt to win a world club championship, PSG will now play Chelsea in the final on Sunday, July 13.
Pundit & Media Reactions:
Spanish media personality Tomás Roncero (El Larguero, Cadena SER) said:
“It was scathing. Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso was “unfaithful to his idea” by starting Mbappé—still not fully fit—sacrificing defensive balance and forcing Valverde into a less influential role”.
Other Spanish press including: Bild, AS, The Athletic unanimously criticized Real’s tactical vulnerabilities and defensive errors. They portrayed PSG’s win as a ‘humiliation’, citing Real’s “ideas-less, error-prone” performance.
One German report labeled it a “massedmannshumiliation”, and outlets like L’Equipe and The Times remarked PSG had dismantled Madrid within 25 minutes.
Coaches’ Perspectives
Luis Enrique (PSG): Dismissed claims PSG eased off, citing heat, fatigue, and match preparation as reasons for substitutions. He lauded his team’s “insuperable” performance, calling it a “masterclass”.
He praised Ousmane Dembélé for boosting his Ballon d’Or case and called his impact within nine minutes “vital and unique”.
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Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid): Described the result as “painful” but framed it as a crucial learning curve. He acknowledged PSG’s two-year build and said Madrid are only “just starting”.
He admitted the tactical gamble—shifting away from a five-man defense—“backfired spectacularly” due to missing key defenders.
On X (formerly Twitter), football voices chimed in:
“Watching PSG is like watching Pep’s Barca! I can’t give them a higher compliment.” — Jamie Carragher
“PSG never reached this level with Mbappé at the club… Knocked his new club, Real Madrid, out of the Club World Cup.” — B/R Football
“PSG can destroy man‑to‑man pressing… This athletic‑technical combination is too lethal.” — PremierLeaguePanel
The coach of Real Madrid, however, acknowledged PSG’s better build and tactical errors, saying he saw the match as a part of a larger rebuild.
Football gurus praised PSG’s champion-level performance, while pundits and the media denounced Real Madrid’s disaster.
