By Sama Marwan ,
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has taken the first step toward achieving the dream of a historic quintuple after securing a spot in the Round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup currently being held in the United States. Meanwhile, Atlético Madrid exited the tournament in a major upset.
PSG defeated American side Seattle Sounders 2–0, with goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Achraf Hakimi. The Parisian giant now leads Group B with 6 points, ahead of Brazil’s Botafogo, who sit second on goal difference.
Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup
PSG is now set to face Inter Miami, led by Argentine legend Lionel Messi, the runner-up of Group A, in the Round of 16. Botafogo will face fellow Brazilian side Palmeiras, the Group A leaders.
It’s worth noting that PSG was the club Lionel Messi played for between 2021 and 2023 following his departure from Barcelona, before moving to Inter Miami in the summer of 2023.
PSG had already completed a domestic treble by winning Ligue 1, the French Cup, and the French Super Cup. They then went on to claim their first-ever UEFA Champions League title with a stunning 5–0 victory over Inter Milan in the final, and are now aiming to add the Club World Cup to their trophy cabinet.
Achraf Hakimi expressed his happiness at helping PSG reach the Round of 16, saying after the match:
“There’s no such thing as an easy match — this is the Club World Cup, and we know every game will be very difficult. We must stay focused from start to finish. We showed character and I believe we deserved the win.”
He added in an interview with DAZN:
“We’ve worked really hard, but we’re exhausted at the end of the season. We’re ready and will continue to give our best. We’ll recover properly and aim to stay in the competition as long as possible.”
Meanwhile, PSG coach Luis Enrique voiced his frustration with the poor condition of the pitch:
“It’s not easy playing away from home under these conditions. The pitch isn’t like European stadiums — and I say that even though we won. It’s hard to play the fluid football we want when the ball bounces off the turf like a rabbit.”
