Paris Saint-Germain cruised into the quarterfinals of the Club World Cup with a commanding 4-0 victory over Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami at the Mercedes-Benz stadium on Sunday, with Joao Neves scoring twice in a first half demolition.
The French giants wasted little time establishing control, striking within the opening six minutes. Never found space at the far post to head in a well-delivered free-kick, setting the tone for what would be a dominant display.
PSG continued to dictate minutes, and Neves struck again in the 39th minute. A smooth team move involving Bradley Barcola and Fabian Ruiz’s pinpoint cross to make it 2-0.
Inter Miami’s hopes faded rapidly as PSG added two more goals before the break. A misdirected two more goals before the break. A misdirected clearance by Tomas Aviles deflected into his own net, and just before halftime, Achraf Hakimi added a fourth with a clinical finish.
PSG, the reigning Champions League winners, now move on to face Bundesliga champions, Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals, who advanced later that day with a win over Flamengo.
“It was a near-flawless performance,” said PSG coach Luis Enrique. “We created many chances, maintained intensity, and I’m proud of the effort. There’s always room to improve, but this was a strong step forward.”
Messi, playing in front of a large dependent of his fans covered in pink, struggled to influence the match. Encircled by PSG defenders in the midfield for much of the first half, the Argentina had limited touches and few opportunities to spark an attack.
In the second half, Messi looked more active, seeing a header saved by Gianlungi Donnarumma and striking the wall with a late free kick. The crowd’s chants of Messi! Messi! Offered encouragement, but it wasn’t enough to ignite a turnaround.
Inter Miami’s best opportunity came shortly after the restart, when Luis Suarez broke free near the goal, only to mistime his shot. The frustrated Uruguayan striker booted a water bottle in disappointment- a moment emblematic of the Heron’s afternoon.
Despite the one-sided score-line, Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano praised his team’s resolve.
“We faced one of the world’s best sides, and while the difference in class was clear, we competed with heart. It’s a learning skill for us,” he said.