The first half of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup semifinal turned into a nightmare for Real Madrid, as they were thoroughly outplayed by a ruthless Paris Saint-Germain side that capitalized on every defensive error. The team led by Luis Enrique punished the Spanish giants and went into halftime with a commanding 3-0 lead.

The match began with a PSG that was dynamic, aggressive, and sharp in attack. Just minutes after kickoff, a costly mistake from Raúl Asencio inside the box gave the Parisians their first goal. The defender mishandled the ball, leaving it at the feet of Ousmane Dembélé, who calmly set it up for Fabián Ruiz to power it past Thibaut Courtois.

Moments later, another blunder — this time by Antonio Rüdiger — led to the second goal. The German center-back failed to control the ball near midfield, allowing Dembélé to break away alone and slot it past the Belgian keeper with a precise left-footed finish.

PSG shows no mercy: Fabián Ruiz shines with a brace

Xabi Alonso’s men couldn't regroup before Fabián Ruiz struck again in the 24th minute, completing his brace and further extending the lead. A stunning team move from PSG exposed the disorganized Madrid defense, giving the Spanish midfielder a clear opportunity to finish with style against Courtois, who despite the scoreline was still one of Los Blancos’ better performers.

The performances of Asencio and Rüdiger were heavily criticized as Real Madrid now faces an uphill battle in the second half. With attacking stars like Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Jr., and Gonzalo García, the Spanish side still clings to hopes of a miraculous comeback — but they’ll need to shore up their defense fast if they want any chance of turning things around.

For now, PSG has made a strong statement of intent, showing their hunger to claim the world title with a near-flawless first half display. Real Madrid must respond quickly or risk crashing out in humiliating fashion.