By Kwame Bediako
Paris Saint-Germain delivered a stunning performance to dismantle Real Madrid 4-0 in the Club World Cup semifinals at MetLife Stadium on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. The European champions wasted no time breaking down Los Blancos’ defense, with Fabian Ruiz and Ousmane Dembélé combining for three goals inside the opening 24 minutes. PSG’s dominant display leaves them poised to face Chelsea in Sunday’s eagerly anticipated final.
The match exploded into life early as PSG took control with relentless attacking pressure. Despite two early saves from Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois denying Fabian Ruiz and Dembélé, the French side broke the deadlock in the sixth minute when Fabian calmly slotted home into an open net after Courtois’ sprawling save took out Dembélé. Just three minutes later, Dembélé capitalized on a defensive blunder by Antonio Rüdiger to double PSG’s lead, leaving Madrid reeling.
Kylian Mbappé, facing his former club for the first time at MetLife, had a chance to spark a Madrid response but PSG quickly surged forward again. Achraf Hakimi’s precise cross found Fabian Ruiz, who drilled in his second goal of the match to make it 3-0 inside the first half-hour. Although Real Madrid briefly gained some footing after the break, an offside goal by Desire Doue was disallowed, and the visitors never truly threatened a comeback.
PSG’s dominance was reflected in the statistics, boasting an expected goals (xG) tally of 2.52 compared to Madrid’s 0.71. The French side’s clinical finishing and defensive solidity have now seen them win their last five knockout matches across all competitions by an aggregate score of 18-0. This emphatic victory marks Xabi Alonso’s first defeat as Real Madrid manager and underscores the gulf in quality between the two European powerhouses on the night.
With this commanding win, PSG will return to MetLife Stadium on Sunday to face Chelsea in the Club World Cup final. The French champions’ ruthless efficiency and attacking flair position them as clear favorites to lift the trophy, while Real Madrid must regroup and reflect on a humbling defeat that exposed vulnerabilities in their defence and challenged their resilience on the global stage.
