Paris Saint-Germain thrashed Real Madrid 4-0 at the MetLife Stadium in New York on Thursday night to secure their spot in the Club World Cup final, where they will face Premier League side Chelsea.
Luis Enrique’s men were ruthless in a semi-final encounter that never looked competitive after a blistering 18-minute first-half assault. Fabian Ruiz netted a brace, while Ousmane Dembélé and Gonçalo Ramos each added a goal in a dominant display that confirmed PSG’s status as the team to beat in the tournament.
This comprehensive victory comes just weeks after PSG demolished Inter Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final, and they now stand on the brink of capping off a historic season with a world title. The French giants have already secured a domestic double and their first Champions League title, now only Chelsea stands between them and global glory.
The scoring opened in the 6th minute after a poor touch from Real Madrid’s Raul Asencio allowed Dembélé to tee up Ruiz for the opener. Ruiz added a second moments later, and Dembélé then turned scorer, notching his 35th goal of the season in his first Club World Cup start following a return from injury.
Gonçalo Ramos finished the rout with a breakaway goal late in the second half, after Luka Modric came on for his final appearance in a Real Madrid shirt in an attempt to inspire a turnaround that never came.
Speaking after the match, Luis Enrique praised his squad’s composure and Dembélé’s standout performance:
It’s the first match we could use Ousmane as a normal player after his injury, and he’s been the best this season by a long way. He deserves to win everything.”
Despite the lopsided result, Enrique was quick to temper expectations ahead of Sunday’s final against Chelsea, calling the English side “a good team” and acknowledging the need to recover fully.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso urged his players to reflect and learn from the experience:
They [PSG] are in a top moment. It will take time, but we must learn from days like today. Modric has been a legend and deserves a better ending, but we are just at the start of a new chapter.”
Alonso, in his third week as Madrid boss, emphasized that while the loss stung, the bigger picture involves building a new team post-Modric era.
The final, set for Sunday at 8pm EAT, will take place again at the MetLife Stadium in New York. It offers PSG a shot at their first Club World Cup title, while Chelsea aim to stop the French champions from completing one of the most dominant seasons in recent football history.
