Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) laid down an emphatic marker in their FIFA Club World Cup debut, routing Atlético Madrid 4-0 in a historic all-European Group B opener at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
The reigning European champions delivered a dominant display under the California sun, outclassing Diego Simeone’s side in both quality and composure. Despite the midday kickoff under punishing 31°C heat and in front of a roaring crowd of 80,619, Luis Enrique’s men looked sharp, focused, and full of purpose.
From the outset, PSG were in control. They held 82.6% possession in the opening quarter of an hour, and it didn’t take long for that dominance to pay dividends. In the 19th minute, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia teed up Fabián Ruiz on the edge of the box. The Spaniard rifled a low, accurate shot beyond Jan Oblak into the bottom corner to give the French side a deserved lead.
As Atlético struggled to find any rhythm or territory, PSG continued to probe. Just before halftime, Vitinha, who would later be named Player of the Match, danced through the heart of the Madrid defence and calmly slid his finish past Oblak after another incisive pass from Kvaratskhelia.
At 2-0 up, PSG might have eased off in the sweltering heat, but the Ligue 1 champions kept their foot on the gas. Early in the second half, Kvaratskhelia nearly added his name to the scoresheet with a curling effort that Oblak tipped onto the crossbar — one of the few moments of resistance from the Atlético keeper.
Atlético’s best moment came midway through the second half when substitute Julian Alvarez tucked in what he thought was a consolation goal, only for VAR to rule it out due to a foul by Koke in the buildup.
Their woes deepened in the 78th minute when defender Clément Lenglet, already on a yellow, was bizarrely dismissed for dissent. The incident came after Oblak was impeded while trying to release the ball — a moment that left Atlético’s bench fuming and Simeone visibly irate.
PSG’s young midfield talent
Senny Mayulu, PSG’s young midfield talent and a surprise scorer in the Champions League final, continued his fairy tale run by adding a third in the 87th minute. The 18-year-old struck low into the corner after a clever pass from Ibrahim Mbaye, who himself hit the post just moments later.
In stoppage time, VAR intervened again — this time to award PSG a penalty after Robin Le Normand was judged to have handled the ball in the box. Lee Kang-In stepped up and slotted in the fourth with the final kick of the match.
Luis Enrique praised his team’s adaptability after the match. “We managed the conditions well and imposed our game. It’s not easy to play in this kind of heat, but the players were intelligent.”
Vitinha, who scored one and dictated much of the tempo, admitted the heat was a factor: “It was difficult — physically draining — but we stayed focused and got the job done.”
This victory extends PSG’s incredible post-Christmas form — the Parisians have now scored 103 of their 154 goals this season since the turn of the year. The win also strengthens their bid to become the first European side to win the expanded Club World Cup.
PSG next face Brazilian giants Botafogo on Friday, while Atlético, now under pressure, must regroup quickly ahead of their clash with Seattle Sounders on Thursday.
While questions swirl around FIFA’s scheduling choices and the well-being of players in extreme heat, PSG’s performance was a reminder that, regardless of conditions, true quality rises.
