The Club World Cup semifinals were always bound to produce a spectacle. But no one could script the emotional symmetry of what’s coming next.
Kylian Mbappé, now clad in white, is about to face the club he left behind. Paris Saint-Germain, newly unburdened and newly crowned Champions League winners, meet Real Madrid in a collision of past and future. One day earlier, Chelsea will test their polished revival against Fluminense, Brazil‘s final torchbearer in a tournament that increasingly reflects Europe’s iron grip on global football.
There are two matches on the calendar, but only one real question: does anyone still stand a chance against Europe’s empire?
Madrid vs PSG: The ghost in white
When Real Madrid signed Kylian Mbappé, it was the final act of a long courtship. Now, barely a month into his new life in Spain, he’ll stare across the halfway line at the club that thrived in his absence.
PSG didn’t just move on without him. They won it all.
Luis Enrique’s side arrives in New Jersey as Champions League winners and domestic treble holders. More impressively, they’ve conceded just one goal in four Club World Cup matches while slicing through teams with width, press, and intent. But they’ll have to do it without suspended starters Lucas Hernandez and Willian Pacho.
That’s where Mbappé comes in.
Back from illness and coming off a thunderous quarterfinal overhead kick, he joins Vinícius and Rodrygo in a front line built to test even the best. Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso may rotate between a 4-3-3 and 3-4-3 shape, but the core remains: win the midfield press, unleash the wide runners, and let stars decide the rest.
The tactical battles are everywhere. Achraf Hakimi versus Vinícius. Jude Bellingham roaming into spaces Manuel Ugarte will try to close. Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia pushing Real’s fullbacks deep.
But the real spectacle is personal. Luis Enrique once said of Mbappé, “I had a player who moved wherever he wanted. Next season, I’ll control everything.”
Now, Mbappé stands on the other side of the touchline, looking to control the outcome.
Chelsea vs Fluminense: One more dream
If the second semi is about revenge and narrative, the first is about identity.
Chelsea, steady under Enzo Maresca, have blended youth and structure to reach this point. Cole Palmer is pulling strings. Christopher Nkunku is stretching defenses. Moisés Caicedo returns to solidify midfield.
Their opponent? A 40-year-old legend and a team built on chaos.
Thiago Silva captains Fluminense against the club he once led to a Champions League title. Around him, the Brazilian side press hard, break fast, and thrive in discomfort. They knocked out Inter Milan and Al Hilal with energy, width, and a little magic from Jhon Arias.
The tactical contrast is stark. Chelsea want to control zones and tempo. Fluminense want to disrupt both.
And yet, the emotion might matter more. This is likely Silva’s last major tournament. He knows Chelsea’s strengths and flaws. He also knows his team can’t go punch-for-punch. They have to make it weird. They have to believe.
The stakes and what they say
Three European teams remain. One South American survivor holds out.
The Club World Cup was meant to be global. But its semifinals already reflect the hierarchy modern football has built. Financial might, tactical infrastructure, and squad depth favor UEFA sides every year. This is no accident.
Still, the beauty of the next two matches lies in what could break the script.
Maybe Mbappé exacts his revenge. Maybe Luis Enrique proves PSG was always better without him. Maybe Thiago Silva gets one more miracle. Or maybe we watch European power confirm itself again, this time beneath the lights of MetLife Stadium.
Whatever happens, there will be no shortage of storylines. But the one we’ll remember most may be the one that started in Paris, ends in Madrid, and unfolds in New Jersey, with a familiar ghost in white.
