PSG Dominate Atlético Madrid 4-0 in Club World Cup Opener at the Rose Bowl

Paris Saint-Germain kicked off their FIFA Club World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion on Sunday, cruising to a 4-0 victory over Atlético Madrid at the iconic Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The reigning UEFA Champions League winners looked every bit the part as they dismantled their Spanish opponents in front of a packed crowd of 80,000.

Luis Enrique’s men wasted no time asserting control, opening the scoring in the 19th minute through a stunning long-range effort from Fabián Ruiz. PSG, showing no signs of rust after their 5-0 thrashing of Inter Milan in last month’s Champions League final, continued to dominate possession and tempo.

Just before halftime, a missed opportunity by Antoine Griezmann triggered a swift PSG counterattack. Vitinha capitalized, slotting the ball home to double the French champions’ lead under the bright California sun.

Atlético Madrid seemed to have found a lifeline in the 57th minute when Julián Álvarez tucked the ball into the net. However, celebrations were cut short as VAR ruled out the goal, citing a foul by Koke on Désiré Doué in the build-up.

Things unraveled further for Diego Simeone’s side when Clement Lenglet was shown a second yellow card, reducing Atlético to ten men. Soon after, Alexander Sørloth squandered a golden chance from close range, skying what should have been a routine finish.

PSG added two more goals late in the match. Substitute Senny Mayulu made it 3-0 in the 87th minute, and Lee Kang-in converted a penalty in stoppage time to cap off a complete performance from the Parisians.

Despite missing key forward and Ballon d’Or frontrunner Ousmane Dembélé—sidelined due to injury—PSG were in full control throughout. They finished the match with 74% possession and 11 shots on target, compared to Atlético’s single effort on goal.

Man of the Match Vitinha praised the team’s consistency:

“The most difficult thing in football is staying consistent. That’s what I aim for—and today, the whole team performed at a very high level. This was the perfect way to start the tournament.”

PSG return to the Rose Bowl on Thursday to face Brazilian giants Botafogo, while Atlético Madrid will head north to face Seattle Sounders FC in Washington.

The festive atmosphere inside the historic Rose Bowl, set to be a World Cup venue next year, showcased American fans’ growing passion for the global game.

“It felt different out there,” Vitinha added. “But it’s great to see so many fans here in the U.S. showing love for football—sorry, soccer!”