Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique hailed his team’s remarkable 4-0 triumph over Real Madrid in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final as a “beautiful victory” and called on his players to finish their historic season in style by lifting one more trophy.
PSG dismantled Madrid at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Wednesday night with a dominant display. Midfielder Fabian Ruiz netted twice, Ousmane Dembele added a superb goal, and substitute Goncalo Ramos completed the rout late on. Madrid, who were playing under newly appointed manager Xabi Alonso, had no answer to PSG’s relentless attacking force.
With the result, PSG secured a spot in Sunday’s final against Chelsea. A win would crown them world champions and mark a clean sweep of all available trophies this season Ligue 1, the French Cup, the UEFA Champions League, and now potentially the Club World Cup.
“That is the objective we have had since the beginning,” said Luis Enrique. “But it is always very difficult to achieve these things — very few teams can do what we are trying to do. We are one game away from making history for Paris and for a French club.”
Appointed in July 2023, Enrique has transformed PSG into an unstoppable force. Their Champions League final demolition of Inter Milan and now this semi-final masterclass underline just how dominant the French giants have become under his leadership.
Enrique also heaped praise on Ousmane Dembele, who returned from injury to start for the first time in the tournament. The French forward, who scored his 35th goal in 52 appearances this season, has emerged as a strong contender for the Ballon d’Or.
“For me, the Ballon d’Or is about more than goals. It’s about helping your team win trophies and Ousmane Dembele does that more than any other player,” said Enrique.
With one more hurdle to clear, PSG stand on the brink of a historic clean sweep a testament to their transformation under Luis Enrique and the incredible form of players like Dembele.
