This Wednesday, July 9, 2025, the New Jersey Metlife Stadium will dress in gala to host one of the most anticipated duels of recent football. Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain will face them in the semifinals of the first World Cup with Expanded Format, in a meeting that transcends the sports and represents a struggle of projects, styles and philosophies.
Both teams arrive as the current champions of their respective continents, which further elevates the magnitude of the game. Madrid, a symbol of the European tradition, and the PSG, ambassador of modern financial power, the faces will be seen in search of a place in the grand final of the tournament.
Mbappé meets his past and Madrid premieres was
The morbidity is guaranteed with the return of Kylian Mbappé, who will face the PSG for the first time after its controversial departure in 2024. Although a recent stomach ailment has sown doubts about its inclusion in the starting eleven, its single presence in the list has raised the tension in both trenches.
Meanwhile, the offensive prominence of Real Madrid has fallen to an unexpected hero: Gonzalo García, the young striker out of the quarry, who has shone with four goals in five games, conquering both the fans and the coaching staff.
At the head of the White Project, Xabi Alonso has imposed its seal in record time. His tactical vision has transformed the team, prioritizing the collective game and making the maximum performance of players who were in the shadow. Arda Güler and Fran García have been revitalized under their command, and figures such as Tchouaméni have recovered the regularity that was expected from their arrival.
Luis Enrique’s PSG, more coral than ever
In the other corner, Luis Enrique has rebuilt the PSG from the foundations. Gone was the era of galactics, and instead emerges a more cohesive, competitive and worked block. After winning the Champions League and Ligue 1, the Parisian club aspires to crown an unforgettable season raising the world title.
The absences by sanction of Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernández have forced to reorganize the rear, but the defense has responded: the PSG has received only one goal throughout the tournament, demonstrating solidity and tactical maturity.
Among the outstanding names, the Ousmane Dembélé shines, which has found its best version away from Camp Nou. Its explosiveness and commitment are key weapons, although their participation in this semifinal will depend on its physical evolution in the hours prior to the meeting.
Accumulated tension between two giants
Although it is not a historical rivalry, the crosses between PSG and Real Madrid have been loaded with tension in the last decade. The prolonged “Mbappé Telenovela”, with cross statements and failed negotiations, tensed the relationship between both entities. And in the memory of the Real Madrid players that epic comeback shines in the Santiago Bernabéu three years ago, which left out the PSG despite having Messi, Neymar and Mbappé himself in his trident.
Now, with two renewed and ambitious projects, the duel is unpredictable. The weight of the story accompanies Madrid, but the ambition and the present support the French team.
El Chelsea, rival waiting
The victorious team of this crossing will face Chelsea in the Grand Final, which beat Fluminense 2-0 in the other semifinal. The Londoners arrive with confidence, but they know they will face a colossus, whatever the outcome of this semifinal.
An opportunity to rewrite history
The pressure is maximum and the expectations, even greater. Will the PSG achieve your project with a planetary title? Or will it be the Madrid of Xabi Alonso who imposes himself and reaffirmed his global hegemony? What is clear is that international football is facing a turning point, and this game can mark a before and after.