Only one match remains in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which left many memorable moments during the first edition of the tournament to feature 32 teams, while being played in the United States.
Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and English side Chelsea will play in the Club World Cup final on July 13 at MetLife Stadium.
Before the final, let’s take a look at the 10 best games soccer fans got to enjoy during the Club World Cup.
Spoiler alert: PSG, Real Madrid and Lionel Messi are featured in several of the following matchups.
Here’s our Top 10 matches from the FIFA Club World Cup:
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10. Inter Miami 2, Palmerias 2 (group stage)
Lionel Messi didn’t score in this matchup, but Luis Suarez and Inter Miami celebrated wildly after taking a 2-0 lead against Brazilian side Palmerias, appearing on track to win their group in the Club World Cup – until they allowed two goals in the final 10 minutes to settle for a bittersweet draw. It’s also worth mentioning the eight-goal fiasco that ended in a 4-4 draw between FC Porto and Al Ahly in the same group, forgotten because Inter Miami and Palmerias advanced.
9. Flamengo 3, Chelsea 1 (group stage)
One day after the biggest upset in the Club World Cup (mentioned here later), Flamengo delivered the second biggest upset of the tournament when they outclassed Chelsea during the group stage on June 20in Philadelphia. Pedro Neto opened the scoring for Chelsea, but Bruno Henrique (62′), Danilo (65′) and Wallace Yan (83’) delivered the shocking result in the second half.
8. Fluminense 2, Inter Milan 0 (round of 16)
Germán Cano shocked early with a goal in the third minute, Hercules sealed the win three minutes into added time, and Fluminense shocked Inter Milan — the Champions League runner-up — in the second-biggest upset in the Round of 16. A Brazilian side toppled one of Europe’s best clubs, and the Fluminense players surely celebrated like they won the tournament.
7. Real Madrid 3, Dortmund 2 (quarterfinals)
Kylian Mbappé scored his only goal in this Club World Cup with ideal timing to keep Real Madrid ahead in one of the most thrilling finishes of the tournament against Dortmund on July 5 in New Jersey. Real Madrid had the match in hand as Gonzalo García (10’) and Fran García (20’) built the early lead they barely sustained. Mbappé scored(90’+4’) to answer a goal by Dortmund’s Maximilian Beier (90’+2’), and before Serhou Guirassy scored a penalty (90’+8’). Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved a shot by Dortmund’s Marcel Sabitzer in the closing seconds to secure the victory.
6. Palmerias 1, Botafogo 0 (round of 16)
Brazilian rivals, added extra time, and a memorable game-winning goal. Paulinho’s score off the bench in the 100th minute helped Palmeiras reach the quarterfinals against Botafogo in thrilling fashion in Philadelphia on June 28.
5. Inter Miami 2, FC Porto 1 (group stage)
Lionel Messi’s free-kick goal to propel Inter Miami past Portuguese side Porto was the only goal he scored in the tournament, but delivered another historic moment in his legendary career. Inter Miami became the first North American team to beat a European club in a major competition in the 2-1 victory in Atlanta on June 19.
4. Botafogo 1, PSG 0 (group stage)
Down goes PSG! Brazilian side Botafogo delivered a shocker when Igor Jesus scored in the first half, and hung on to beat the best team in Europe during the group stage on June 19. PSG regained its form after the match, appearing unbeatable in the later stages of the Club World Cup, like they were during their Champions League run. Still, Botafogo’s victory will be remembered as the biggest upset during the 2025 tournament.
3. Paris Saint-Germain 4, Inter Miami 0 (round of 16)
Lionel Messi faced his former club in PSG, roughly two years after leaving to join Inter Miami and MLS in one of the most enticing matchups of the tournament on June 29 in Atlanta. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see why the reigning Champions League winners outclassed a MLS club.
2. PSG 4, Real Madrid 0 (semifinal)
PSG planted its flag even further as the best soccer club in the world with its dismantling of Real Madrid in the semifinals on July 9 in New Jersey. They made a surprising statement, shocking former star Kylian Mbappé and Real Madrid with three goals in the first 24 minutes to put them away early.
1. Al Hilal 4, Manchester City 3 (round of 16)
The most entertaining match in the Club World Cup is Al-Hilal’s 4-3 win in extra time against Manchester City on June 30 in Orlando. More than the seven goals, Al-Hilal’s Marcus Leonard delivered the coldest celebration by taking off his jersey, placing on the corner flag, and waving it around after the game winner. But even his celebration was upstaged by an Al-Hilal fan’s choke celebration that will be viral in soccer circles for years to come.
