Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) delivered a commanding performance against Inter Miami CF, securing a decisive 4-0 victory in the Round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. The match, held on Saturday, June 29, 2025, at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, saw Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami side eliminated from the tournament by his former club. An attendance of 65,574 witnessed PSG’s clinical display, particularly in a dominant first half.
The European champions wasted no time asserting their authority, scoring all four goals before the halftime whistle. Portuguese midfielder João Neves opened the scoring early, heading home unmarked in the 6th minute after a set-piece delivery from Vitinha. Neves doubled PSG’s lead in the 39th minute, finishing off a well-worked team move with an assist from Fabián Ruiz, showcasing PSG’s fluid attacking play. The misery for Inter Miami continued as a Tomás Avilés own goal in the 44th minute further extended PSG’s advantage. Just before the break, Achraf Hakimi added a fourth goal in the 45th minute of stoppage time, capitalizing on a close-range opportunity to send PSG into halftime with an unassailable lead. PSG’s first-half dominance was evident in their expected goals (xG) metric of 2.49 compared to Inter Miami’s 0.38, highlighting the vast difference in offensive threat. (The Athletic, ESPN, Hindustan Times, Sky Sports)
Despite the overwhelming deficit, Inter Miami showed some resilience in the second half, managing to stem the flow of goals and create a few chances. Lionel Messi, though largely contained in the first half, became more involved after the break. He forced PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma into a diving save with a header in the 80th minute and later had a free-kick blocked by the PSG wall in the 89th minute. Luis Suárez, another former Barcelona star, struggled to make an impact and was booked for an elbow in the 74th minute. PSG, comfortable with their lead, made tactical substitutions, bringing on Ousmane Dembélé in the 62nd minute and later Lee Kang-in and Lucas Hernández in the 70th minute to manage player fatigue. (The Athletic, Hindustan Times, Sky Sports)
The match carried significant narrative weight, pitting Messi against his former club, PSG, where he had a challenging two-year spell marked by domestic success but also fan discontent, particularly after Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph. For Inter Miami, this tournament marked a significant achievement as the sole MLS representative to reach the knockout stage, having surprised many by going unbeaten in the group phase and defeating Portuguese giants Porto. The encounter also saw Inter Miami’s coach Javier Mascherano and players like Messi, Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba reunite with their former Barcelona manager, Luis Enrique, now at the helm of PSG. (Hindustan Times)
Ultimately, PSG’s superior quality shone through, securing their place in the quarter-finals. They will now face the winner of the highly anticipated clash between Flamengo and Bayern Munich. While Inter Miami’s Club World Cup journey ends here, their participation and progression to the knockout stage as the only MLS club is a testament to their growth, particularly since Messi’s arrival. However, the match underscored the significant gap that still exists between the MLS side and Europe’s elite. (The Athletic)
