The most obvious lesson Alonso learned against PSG was a front three of Kylian Mbappé, Gonzalo García and Vinícius Júnior does not work. After only starting two forwards in Real Madrid’s five consecutive victories in the Club World Cup, the former Bayer Leverkusen boss gave the nod to the three attackers in a head-scratching decision.

FIFA Club World Cup final is set after Paris Saint-Germain smashed Real Madrid 4-0 in their semifinal at MetLife Stadium.

Despite the humbling exit, Los Blancos didn’t walk away empty-handed. Quite the opposite—their tournament run yielded one of the most lucrative prize hauls in club soccer history. When Real Madrid took the field against Paris Saint-Germain in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup semifinals,