Paris Saint-Germain began their campaign in the expanded 32-team Club World Cup in emphatic fashion on June 15, 2025, overpowering Atlético Madrid with a 4-0 victory at the iconic Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
Fabian Ruiz opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a powerful strike from outside the box, demonstrating PSG’s sharpness early on . Just before halftime, Vitinha doubled their lead, finishing a swift counterattack to put PSG comfortably ahead. Vitinha’s dominant midfield display earned him the Man of the Match award.
Atlético appeared to pull one back in the 57th minute through Julián Álvarez, but VAR intervened and ruled the goal out due to a foul in the build-up (espn.com). Atlético’s woes intensified when defender Clément Lenglet received a second yellow card in the 78th minute, leaving them with ten men.
PSG sealed their dominance in the final minutes: substitute Senny Mayulu slid in a third goal in the 87th minute, then Lee Kang‑in converted a stoppage-time penalty to complete the 4-0 rout. The match highlighted PSG’s fierce intent after their Champions League triumph, raising questions about Atlético’s preparation and commitment to the tournament.
This tightly controlled performance underscores PSG’s position as clear favorites in this expanded global competition. They next face Botafogo at the same venue, while Atlético must regroup ahead of their clash against Seattle Sounders.
What this means:
- PSG have now won their first match in the Club World Cup, building momentum after lifting their maiden Champions League title .
- Atlético’s underwhelming performance, coupled with criticisms of the Club World Cup’s setup and the event’s half-empty stadium, adds pressure on Diego Simeone’s side .
- This victory cements PSG’s status as one of the top contenders in the tournament.
Image Credits: https://www.aljazeera.com
