Next Sunday, July 13, will mark the end of the 2025 Club World Cup currently being played in the United States. Chelsea and Luis Enrique’s PSG will battle it out for the title and a hefty cash prize from FIFA, as this tournament has distributed millions to the 32 participating teams. Now only the London and Paris teams remain in the competition, and they will undoubtedly put on a great show in the decisive clash at MetLife Stadium as they battle to lift the golden trophy into the New York sky.
A month after it began, the Club World Cup is now in its final stages. Gone is the group stage in which Atlético Madrid was eliminated despite earning six points, the same number that PSG and Botafogo needed to advance to the round of 16. Cholo Simeone’s side had to return home early due to goal difference, after being punished with a 4-0 defeat against the reigning Champions League champions. This meant that their eternal rivals, Real Madrid, were the only Spanish representatives left in the competition.
Real Madrid came into this Club World Cup with Xabi Alonso making his coaching debut, the signings of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen, and without Kylian Mbappé, who had suffered food poisoning and missed the first few games. The Chamartín side drew in their debut against Al Hilal, but beat Pachuca and RB Salzburg to reach the round of 16. There they came up against a legendary European side in Juventus, whom they disposed of with relative ease. In the quarter-finals, they were the executioners of Borussia Dortmund, while in the semi-finals they came up against PSG.
Real Madrid eliminated
The Merengues faced PSG in the semifinals of the Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium, where both matches in this round were played, as well as next Sunday’s grand final. Xabi Alonso’s side fell heavily to Luis Enrique’s team, who managed to inflict a resounding 4-0 defeat. The mistakes of Raúl Asencio and Antonio Rüdiger were the only negative points, as the team lacked fluidity in attack and was unable to match the intensity of the reigning Champions League winners.
Obviously, Kylian Mbappé made headlines, as everyone remembered that he left PSG to try to win continental titles and now that he has left the Parc des Princes, it was the Parisians who won the Champions League, but now Luis Enrique’s team can win the Club World Cup. But looking at the Real Madrid bench, Xabi Alonso was clear in saying that after the elimination, the new season begins for the Concha Espina side, sending a hopeful message to all Merengue fans.
A Barça shirt for Florentino
Florentino Pérez was in the stands at MetLife Stadium in New York accompanying his team. As usual, the Real Madrid president was one of the big draws for the club, and the fans in the stands did not hesitate to try to get close to the box to exchange a few words with the Merengue boss, take a photo or ask for an autograph.
❌ Florentino’s blunt reaction when a spectator tries to slip him a Barça shirt to sign pic.twitter.com/toTD2rjic1
— Diario AS (@diarioas) July 10, 2025
Among the requests that reached Florentino Pérez, one was particularly curious. Someone decided to give him a shirt to sign, but the president and his companions saw that it was a Barcelona shirt, so he politely decided to return it and smiled, saying that he couldn’t sign it. The businessman’s manners have been praised on social media, as he did not make a rude gesture or anything, but instead showed sympathy for what had just happened.