FIFA Club World Cup: PSG is like a "bogeyman", the harsh truth about Mbappe

(Dan Tri) - Paris Saint Germain (PSG) is like a "bogeyman", ready to swallow all opponents at this time. Witnessing Real Madrid being "crushed", people can see how scary PSG is.

The "bogeyman" PSG swallows everything

Perhaps, Real Madrid secretly thanked the cooling break (water break) in the first half for coming early. Because, before that moment, they seemed to have lost control of the stormy attacks from PSG in the semi-final of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the US on the morning of July 10.

PSG is like a "bogeyman", ready to swallow everything (Photo: Getty).

It was hard to believe that Real Madrid was “swallowed” so easily. In just the first 24 minutes, the most powerful team in Europe had to suffer 3 goals. If Courtois had not been excellent, the number of goals conceded by “Los Blancos” could have been even more.

PSG was so fierce that even Real Madrid's confidence and pride melted. Even the most solid legs made mistakes. Witnessing the first two goals conceded by Los Blancos, people could only be fed up with the amateurish mistakes of Raul Acencio and Rudiger. Although there were many reasons, PSG's continuous pressing was certainly the main cause leading to that elementary mistake.

Just over a month ago, the world laughed at Inter Milan when they lost 0-5 to PSG in the Champions League final. However, after witnessing the French giants destroy two Madrid teams, Real Madrid and Atletico, with the same score of 4-0, fans really took their hats off to coach Luis Enrique and his team.

The last stronghold of world football, Real Madrid, was easily overcome by PSG. In The Athletic, writer Oliver Kay had to exclaim: "Clearly, PSG are the best team in the world at the moment."

In martial arts, speed, strength, and precision are the key factors. Those factors all converge at PSG. Real Madrid's system was almost unable to withstand PSG's lightning-fast attacks. This is also what Inter Milan experienced in the Champions League final more than a month ago.

PSG crushed Real Madrid by scoring 3 goals in the first 24 minutes (Photo: Getty).

PSG has a pair of fast and independent wingers, Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and a versatile Dembele in the role of “false 9”. Importantly, this team is potentially dangerous in every position, including central midfielders like Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha and Joao Neves.

The Athletic admits that PSG are the most collective team in world football and they play as a team. Midfielder Fabian Ruiz, who scored twice in the final, admitted: “It’s a collective effort. We have great players but without unity, the team is nothing.”

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Courtois also exclaimed: “PSG are too strong in exploiting space and taking advantage of opportunities. We haven’t even reached that level yet.”

It seems that the development process of the football world is entering a new page. In which, the collective factor will be pushed to the maximum and harmonized with the individual factor. At PSG, anyone is very good and can become a hero, but above all, it is the excellent collective. The era of individuals standing out more than the collective is about to end.

The story of PSG reminds many people of the story of “The Old Man That Lost His Horse”. Everything seemed to collapse before their eyes when Mbappe left. However, from the ashes, the PSG tree grew strongly, with its roots deeply rooted in the ground. It represents the movement for a new breath of life in the football world.

Mbappe caused great disappointment on the day of his reunion with his old club (Photo: Getty).

Mbappe and Real Madrid collapse

When asked about Mbappe after PSG's victory, coach Luis Enrique calmly replied: "That's a story of the past. I don't like to talk about the past, I just want to think about the future."

However, on the day Mbappe lost to PSG, a story from the past was spread on social media. Or more precisely, it was the lesson that coach Luis Enrique taught Mbappe when the player played for PSG. This detail appeared in the documentary “No Teneis Ni Puta Idea” about coach Luis Enrique, which was released in September 2024.

Before the second leg of the 2023/24 Champions League quarter-finals (Barca won 3-2 in the first leg), coach Luis Enrique earnestly asked Mbappe to improve his pressing ability and participate in defense with his teammates when he does not have the ball.

The Spanish strategist spoke up: “I know that you like Michael Jordan a lot. The basketball legend is someone who is willing to push his teammates and defend like a madman. I want you to set an example for your teammates by doing the same. I want you to close down Cubarsi and Ter Stegen. You have to spend the whole game pressing Cubarsi at home, not allowing the center back to go up and put pressure on goalkeeper Ter Stegen, forcing him to pass the ball quickly.”

Real Madrid's biggest problem is that Mbappe doesn't defend (Photo: Getty).

However, in the match against PSG in the early morning of July 10, Mbappe completely forgot the lesson of Luis Enrique in the past. Coach Xabi Alonso arranged the attacking pair Mbappe and Vinicius Jr to start together for the first time this season. As a result, they could not score and became the weak link of Real Madrid because they were too lazy to press.

Marca pointed out Real Madrid's biggest problem: "Mbappe and Vinicius must press together, they need to do it continuously". If we look at each individual, Real Madrid players like Mbappe, Vinicius, Bellingham... are much better than PSG. However, in terms of the collective, Los Blancos make many people worry.

Coach Ancelotti, who is famous for his flexibility, was also helpless when helping Mbappe integrate into the Real Madrid team. During the season, the French striker scored 44 goals in 59 matches and won the La Liga Golden Boot, the European Golden Shoe, but Los Blancos were empty-handed. That is the paradox but also the problem of Real Madrid.

If he wants to bring Real Madrid back to the top, coach Xabi Alonso needs to solve this problem well, which is to help Mbappe integrate into the team. Since taking office at Real Madrid, the Spanish coach has mentioned more than once that the whole team must defend together. However, this young coach has too little time to deal with each problem at the Royal Spanish team.

Two important factors of the French team, Dembele and Mbappe, are going in two different directions. From being abandoned at Barcelona, Dembele is resurrecting in Luis Enrique's system thanks to his ability to sacrifice for the team. Meanwhile, Mbappe, from France's greatest hope, has become a big disappointment.

The days of “supermen” who can solve a match alone are over. If he wants to reach the level of C. Ronaldo or Messi, Mbappe needs to know how to carry the team, instead of thinking of himself as a star who can “carry the sky” like his two seniors. In other words, if he wants to rise, Mbappe needs to learn how to sacrifice. Otherwise, the entire Real Madrid team could collapse along with the French striker.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/fifa-club-world-cup-psg-giong-nhu-ngao-op-su-that-phu-phang-ve-mbappe-20250710230944700.htm