Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) began their Club World Cup journey with an emphatic 4-0 win over Spanish giants Atletico Madrid at a packed Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Sunday. The Champions League holders delivered a commanding performance in their first competitive outing since defeating Inter Milan 5-0 in the European final last month.
Fabian Ruiz opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a stunning long-range strike, setting the tone for the French side. As Atletico Madrid struggled to find rhythm, PSG doubled their lead just before half-time through Vitinha, capitalising on a quick counter-attack that followed an Antoine Griezmann miss.
Atletico briefly celebrated a potential comeback after Julian Alvarez found the back of the net in the 57th minute, but VAR disallowed the goal due to a foul by Koke on Desire Doue. The decision prompted a sarcastic reaction from Atletico coach Diego Simeone on the sidelines.
Matters worsened for the LaLiga club when Clement Lenglet was sent off after receiving a second yellow card. Alexander Sorloth then missed a golden chance to score, firing over an open goal from close range.
Late in the match, Senny Mayulu netted PSG’s third in the 87th minute, and Lee Kang-in sealed the victory with a penalty in stoppage time.
Despite the absence of Ousmane Dembele, who is sidelined with injury, PSG dominated with 74% possession and 11 shots on target, while Atletico managed just one.
Vitinha, named Man of the Match, praised his team’s consistency:
“The hardest thing to do in football is to maintain the level. That’s what I tried to do. Very good performance by the team and a very good start to this competition.”
The match, witnessed by a crowd of 80,000, showcased growing enthusiasm for football in the U.S., just a year ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
Next Fixtures:
- PSG returns to the Rose Bowl on Thursday to face Botafogo of Brazil.
- Atletico Madrid travels north to Seattle to take on MLS side Seattle Sounders.
