Thibaut Courtois wasn’t hiding from the reality of Real Madrid’s 4-0 humbling at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup semi-finals—but he’s not dwelling on it either. Instead, the veteran goalkeeper is choosing to see the defeat as a necessary jolt for a team still finding its identity under Xabi Alonso.
Facing the reigning European champions at MetLife Stadium, Madrid were outclassed from the first whistle. A dominant first half from PSG, highlighted by Fabián Ruiz’s brace and goals from Ousmane Dembélé and Gonçalo Ramos, exposed the cracks in Madrid’s setup. It was the heaviest defeat the club has suffered in a competition they had historically dominated, going unbeaten in their last 16 Club World Cup games.
Yet, Courtois remains optimistic.
“It’s a tough defeat, but a defeat to learn from,” he said post-match. “We’re on the right path and sometimes a setback like this is good for you to keep improving, to know that there is a lot of work ahead and that we can get better.”
Real were out of sync from the outset. PSG pressed aggressively and smartly, disrupting Madrid’s buildup play and capitalizing on positional disarray. Courtois admitted they failed to execute Alonso’s tactical plan—particularly when it came to exploiting space behind PSG’s high line.
“They always start strong and press high. We didn’t follow the coach’s plan of looking for space in behind,” Courtois explained. “We struggled to hold our positions, and they found the free man too easily.”
By halftime, PSG were already in full control. Real showed flashes in the second half, but by then, the damage was done. According to Courtois, the team’s inability to stay compact and react quickly left them chasing shadows.
“At this level, if you’re late by even a second, everything breaks down. We were spread too wide, and that gave them too much space. Against a side like PSG, you get punished for that,” he added.
The Belgian’s candid assessment underlines the growing pains Madrid still face. With a new-look squad and a manager implementing fresh ideas, this was always going to be a transitional season. But falling short against a team operating at Champions League-winning intensity serves as a stark benchmark for where Madrid need to be.
This defeat won’t derail the long-term project in Madrid, but it does underscore how much ground there is still to cover. For a club with such high standards, simply being competitive isn’t enough. As Courtois put it bluntly, “We have to reach their level.”
