By Marta Elena Casanova
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Index
The 2025 Club World Cup semifinals marked a turning point: for the first time, two European clubs will battle for the title. Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain convincingly defeated Fluminense and Real Madrid, respectively, in two semifinals completely dominated from a technical, tactical, and physical perspective.
What happened on the field
Chelsea 2-0 Fluminense
On Tuesday, July 8, at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, Chelsea delivered a solid and pragmatic performance to overcome Fluminense. The star of the night was João Pedro, who scored both goals to quickly dash Brazilian hopes. The former Brighton striker opened the scoring with a powerful shot from the edge of the box and sealed the win in the second half with a clinical striker’s finish.
Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea displayed defensive solidity and excellent game management. With a well-organized midfield and an alert backline, the Blues shut down Fluminense’s creative outlets. The Brazilian side struggled with their lack of international experience and slow build-up play, unable to mount a real response after falling behind.
PSG 4-0 Real Madrid
While the Miami semi was solid and expected, the Los Angeles clash between PSG and Real Madrid on Wednesday, July 9, delivered a shocking result: a stunning 4-0 win by the French champions over the Spanish giants. PSG steamrolled Real Madrid in one of the latter’s worst performances in a major semifinal in recent years.
Luis Enrique’s PSG was attacking yet balanced, making full use of their star power. Fabián Ruiz, who scored twice, dominated the midfield with his smart runs and tactical awareness. Ousmane Dembélé added a brilliant solo goal, and Gonçalo Ramos capitalized on a defensive error to score as well.
Real Madrid, under Xabi Alonso, looked confused and sluggish: poor in build-up, inaccurate in passing, and physically outmatched, the Spanish side never truly got into the game.
European final: Chelsea vs PSG
The wins by Chelsea and PSG confirm European dominance even under the Club World Cup’s new format. With 32 teams and a structure similar to the FIFA World Cup, more balance was expected — but the results were clear. The final will be a European showdown and a clash between two distinct football philosophies.
On one side, Chelsea’s composed and methodical build-up, with emerging stars like João Pedro and Palmer. On the other, PSG’s aggressive, vertical approach. The 2025 semifinals showcased the technical and tactical superiority of Europe’s elite clubs. Fluminense and Real Madrid, for different reasons, could not put up real resistance.
The final will take place on July 13 at the MetLife Stadium in New York, in a Champions League-like atmosphere: Chelsea vs PSG, for the world title and a new chapter in football history.
By Marta Elena Casanova
