Fabián Ruiz scored twice and Ousmane Dembélé delivered a goal and an assist as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) dismantled Real Madrid 4–0 on Wednesday night at MetLife Stadium, sealing a place in the FIFA Club World Cup final and spoiling Kylian Mbappé’s reunion with his former club.
A Nightmare Reunion for Mbappé
Mbappé, who joined Real Madrid last year after a legendary seven-season spell with PSG, failed to make an impact in his first appearance against the French champions. He was denied early by Gianluigi Donnarumma and barely troubled the Paris defense, as PSG kept their fifth clean sheet in six matches this tournament.
The French star was partnered up front by Gonzalo García, but Real Madrid’s frontline was largely anonymous throughout the match.
Lightning Start from PSG
The match was barely nine minutes old when PSG had already stunned the Madrid-dominated crowd, racing to a 2–0 lead thanks to Dembélé’s brilliance.
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In the 6th minute, Dembélé capitalized on a defensive blunder by Raúl Asencio, rounded Courtois, and set up Fabián Ruiz for the opener.
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Just three minutes later, Dembélé himself got on the scoresheet after stealing the ball from Antonio Rüdiger and coolly finishing past Courtois.
By the 24th minute, it was 3–0. A lightning-fast counterattack started by Achraf Hakimi ended with another Ruiz goal—his second of the night—after a smooth one-two with Dembélé.
Madrid Left Reeling
Real Madrid’s efforts were hampered further by the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who missed the match due to a reported injury during training. Without his influence, Los Blancos lacked structure and width, and PSG dominated every area of the pitch.
PSG substitute Gonçalo Ramos added a fourth in the 87th minute, rubbing salt in the wounds and sealing a complete rout.
Chelsea Await in the Final
With the emphatic win, PSG advance to Sunday’s final, where they will face Chelsea—winners of the 2021 edition of the tournament. PSG, still chasing their first Club World Cup title, could become the first French team in history to win the coveted trophy.
The two sides are familiar foes in Europe, having met eight times in UEFA Champions League play. PSG currently edge the head-to-head record with three wins, three draws, and two losses.
