Paris Saint-Germain 4-0 Inter Miami: European champions run riot in Messi reunion
Lionel Messi could not prevent Inter Miami from exiting the Club World Cup at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain, who cruised to a 4-0 win.
Paris Saint-Germain crushed Inter Miami 4-0 in Atlanta to reach the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup, with all of their goals coming in a one-sided first half.
Lionel Messi and company were second-best in every department in the first period, and having led 1-0 after 38 minutes, PSG were four goals to the good by the interval.
The second half resembled an exhibition game as Messi desperately attempted to get on the scoresheet against his former club, but to no avail.
PSG's superiority was clear from the off. A driving run from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia led to Bradley Barcola being denied by Oscar Ustari from point-blank range, but in the sixth minute, Joao Neves was left totally unmarked as he headed Vitinha's free-kick home.
Fabian Ruiz saw a potential second disallowed for offside as PSG continued to pen Miami back, while Kvaratskhelia curled just wide from the left corner of the box.
But PSG refused to be deterred as Neves tapped home following good work from Bradley Barcola and Fabian in the 39th minute, and they were not done there.
Miami defender Tomas Aviles – who was earlier booked 45 seconds after coming off the bench – deflected Desire Doue's cross home, then Achraf Hakimi converted on the rebound after striking the crossbar in stoppage time.
Miami improved in the second half, but Luis Suarez failed to finish from a sublime Messi pass before Barcola worked Ustari from distance at the other end.
Messi appeared to be on a mission to get a consolation goal, but the closest he came was with a downward header in the 80th minute, which Gianluigi Donnarumma clawed away from the bottom-right corner.
Data Debrief: Messi unable to stem the tide
PSG's joint-heaviest defeat in a non-domestic match came against a team featuring current Miami players Messi, Suarez and Sergio Busquets as well as their head coach Javier Mascherano, in Barcelona's famous 6-1 Remontada triumph in 2017.
Those roles were reversed in Georgia, with a clear gulf between Europe's finest and a team sitting sixth in the Eastern Conference in MLS.
PSG scored more goals (four) than Miami completed passes in the final third (three) during the first half, with Mascherano's team failing to attempt a shot before the interval.
Messi desperately attempted to drive his team forward after half-time, ending the game with the joint-most shots of any player on the pitch (four, level with Hakimi and Barcola). His 17 passes in the final third were the most of any Miami player.
While Miami's tournament – and their six-game unbeaten streak – was ended in sobering fashion, PSG have now scored 111 goals in 39 competitive matches in 2025.
