Botafogo Sends PSG Reeling with Stunning Club World Cup Victory
Shocking, yes—Paris Saint-Germain, Europe’s newly-crowned kings, couldn’t break down Botafogo and ended up on the wrong end of a 1–0 result in the Club World Cup. This isn’t just another upset. With all eyes on the UEFA Champions League winners to cruise past the Copa Libertadores champions, the script got flipped on June 19, 2025, at a packed Riyadh Stadium. Brazilian striker Tiquinho Soares sealed it in the 69th minute, finishing off a textbook counterattack that PSG’s fancy midfield couldn’t sniff out.
You’d expect PSG, still riding high after a 5–0 demolition of Inter just days earlier in the Champions League final, to have the game wrapped inside an hour. They had plenty of the ball—almost 66% possession—but couldn’t find a way through. Neymar and Mbappé threw everything at the Brazilian wall in front of them, but shot after shot either cannoned off a white shirt or fizzed past the woodwork. Botafogo’s backline stood strong, marshaled expertly by their keeper, Lucas Perri, who made sure no PSG effort made it count.
History, High Stakes, and a South American Boost
This loss bites even more for PSG because it fits a growing pattern—European heavyweights are finding it tougher every year to push past motivated rivals outside their own continent. You can draw a line all the way back to the likes of Corinthians felling Chelsea in 2012, but this sting feels poignant. The match fell on the anniversary of Brazil’s 1994 World Cup triumph, fueling Brazilian pride and giving Botafogo’s win extra meaning. Their coach, Lucho Pavia, was all smiles after the final whistle. ‘Our secret? Unity—everyone attacks, everyone defends,’ he said. That sense of togetherness had PSG looking stunned and out of answers for long periods.
This wasn’t just a good day for Club World Cup underdogs. The tournament’s narrative keeps shifting: Inter Miami, led by Messi, stunned Porto with a comeback win the night before. Messi, as ever, delivered a clutch free kick that will live long in Miami’s history books—a rare time CONCACAF sides have sent a European club packing. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid, another big-name European side, is licking its wounds after a thrashing by PSG earlier in the week.
For PSG, things now get nervy. They square up to Seattle Sounders in a group decider, needing a win to keep their tournament hopes alive. Botafogo, meanwhile, already has one foot in the knockouts—and they’ve shown they’re not just there to make up the numbers. With two giants toppled on consecutive nights, the gap between continents suddenly doesn’t look so wide—at least not in this year’s Club World Cup.
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