Real Madrid bowed out of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 after a crushing 0-4 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, and the aftermath is anything but quiet.
Real Madrid’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, visibly frustrated, didn’t mince words in his post-match comments. “We apologize to the fans. We didn’t press as a unit, and two early mistakes threw off the entire team. We didn’t follow Coach Alonso’s instructions, and we were constantly late in reacting,” he said.
The loss was especially embarrassing given Madrid’s pedigree. By halftime, they were already trailing 0-3. Goncalo Ramos sealed the rout in the 87th minute, sending PSG to the final against Chelsea on July 14.
The criticism extended beyond Madrid’s camp. Daily Mail published a scathing piece post-match, stating, “PSG brought elite-level football to the pitch, reminiscent of their recent Champions League final. But Real Madrid looked like an amateur side from the start.”
The article highlighted Madrid’s early collapse: “Two individual errors in the first nine minutes gifted PSG two goals. Fans in the stadium were left stunned by Madrid’s sluggish, disjointed display.”
Despite the star-studded lineup and Coach Xabi Alonso at the helm, Real Madrid seemed tactically outmatched and mentally unprepared—a rare but glaring failure on the big stage.