Up next in our list of contenders for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup crown are a team who have been chronic underachievers beyond the domestic circuit for well over a decade but are now on the verge of finally changing their fortunes for the better.
Here, we look at Paris Saint-Germain’s chances of winning the inaugural Club World Cup.
Over the years, the French heavyweights have come across as a club with grand aspirations of sustained domination. While their domestic domination is unparalleled, it’s continental supremacy they crave.
While Les Parisiens have always fallen short in the UEFA Champions League, this could finally be the season when that changes in the most spectacular of ways. They have already sewn up the league and are just one step away from their first-ever continental triumph.
How did they qualify?
PSG qualified for the Club World Cup as one of the top-seeded sides in their confederation (UEFA) between 2020/21 and 2023/24. These rankings are based on each team’s performances in European competitions over a given period.
Strengths
PSG are arguably one of the youngest, most exciting sides at the moment. They have a bunch of talented, hungry, and committed youngsters ready to take the footballing world by storm — a far cry from the superstar-buying approach the club had been following since the Qatar-backed takeover.
They have old-school wingers in Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who mesmerise, captivate, and bring joie de vivre to the game — their grace and unpredictability a sight for sore eyes after the robotic wingers we have been seeing in abundance.
Ousmane Dembélé has become a bona fide superstar and a leader in the side both in terms of age and performance. The likes of Vitinha, João Neves, and Fabián Ruiz offer steel and elegance in midfield, while the defence is led by the wily stalwart Marquinhos, with Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes, and Achraf Hakimi complementing him beautifully.
To add to it all, they are managed by Luis Enrique, a coach who knows a thing or two about winning and winning big. He has drilled the team into a unit that focuses on collective success over personal accolades. A shrewd mind himself, he has PSG humming in sync, which is always dangerous.
Weaknesses
For all their strengths, PSG also have a couple of problems to contend with.
While they are undeniably precocious and talented beyond measure, there is a chance that the team might prove to be a bit naive and inexperienced for a tournament of this magnitude.
Also, PSG tend to switch off in key moments. While their run to the UCL final is a testament to their quality, the fact that they had to go through the playoff tie and were just two games away from being eliminated also speaks to their penchant for being slow starters.
In a tournament that is set to be unforgiving from start to finish, a slow start may result in a quick exit.
Group Stage opponents
PSG have been drawn in Group B alongside fellow European heavyweights Atlético Madrid of Spain, Brazilian champions Botafogo, and US outfit Seattle Sounders.
They face Atleti on June 16, followed by Botafogo and Seattle on June 20 and 24, respectively.
Chances of winning the Club World Cup
A young side, an ideal mix of youth and experience, and a world-class manager — coupled with a group that is hardly the most challenging. PSG should fancy their chances of finishing top of their group and even going all the way.
We give PSG a 7/10 likelihood of winning the inaugural Club World Cup.
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