Thibaut Courtois Blasts Real Madrid Teammates After Club World Cup Loss to PSG
- Thibaut Courtois criticised his teammates for not pressing and failing to follow Xabi Alonso’s tactical plan
- The experienced goalkeeper pointed to two early mistakes that set the tone for Real Madrid’s heavy 4-0 loss
- Courtois urged the team to analyse the defeat and learn from it as they prepare for the new season
Ghana’s top stories, now easier to find. Discover our new search feature!
Thibaut Courtois didn’t hold back in his post-match reaction following Real Madrid’s 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup semi-final.
Xabi Alonso’s side were outclassed at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, conceding three goals in a dismal first half, including a brace from Fabian Ruiz.
Gonçalo Ramos added a late fourth to seal the dominant win for PSG, who now advance to Sunday’s final against Chelsea.
Source: Getty Images
Courtois calls out Real Madrid players after PSG loss
The defeat ends Real Madrid’s Club World Cup journey, as no third-place play-off will be held.
The team will return to Spain to prepare for the upcoming 2025/26 La Liga season, starting with a home match against Osasuna.
Courtois, speaking to DAZN after the game, expressed disappointment with the team's performance and admitted they failed to execute Alonso’s strategy.
“We want to apologise to the fans,” said Courtois.
“The problem? We didn’t press as a team. Two big mistakes at the start of the game affected us. We failed to follow Xabi's plan. We need to analyse it, but from what I saw, we were always arriving late.”
Spanish journalist slams Vinicius and Mbappe
MARCA journalist Vicente Azpitarte aimed sharp criticism at star forwards Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappé.
Azpitarte pointed out the lack of defensive effort from the attacking duo, especially in contrast to PSG’s relentless pressing that led to multiple goals.
“You can’t compete with two forwards up top who don’t defend,” he stated. “Mbappé and Vinicius need to become aware of that.”
Xabi Alonso stays positive after PSG defeat
Despite Real Madrid’s crushing 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup semi-final, manager Xabi Alonso believes the defeat will serve as a valuable lesson for his team.
“It’s a tough defeat, but it’s a defeat to learn from — we are on the right track,” Alonso said after the match via Sport Bible. “Sometimes a loss like this is good to remind you that there’s still a lot of work ahead. We now know where we are, where to look, and where we want to be.”
Source: Getty Images
Alonso acknowledged that PSG’s unity and teamwork made a major difference in the match but expressed confidence in his side’s long-term progress.
“PSG are a team. We’ve just begun. We suffered, it was difficult. There are many things we want to do better. It hurts today,” he added. “But we can improve. There’s a lot of margin. We’ve found some positives — we leave as a better team.”
Real Madrid's stats at 2025 Club World Cup
Real Madrid’s overall tournament record showed promise, with four wins from six matches.
They beat Pachuca, Red Bull Salzburg, Juventus, and Borussia Dortmund, drew with Al Hilal, and suffered their only defeat at the hands of PSG.
Real Madrid fans slam Rudiger and Asencio
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the fallout from the heavy defeat was immediate, with furious Real Madrid supporters singling out Antonio Rudiger and Raul Asencio for blame.
The centre-back duo struggled throughout the game, each committing costly errors that led to PSG’s early goals.
Source: YEN.com.gh
