Mbappe And PSG Set For Club World Cup Reunion As Real Madrid Eye Final
Mbappe should be remembered as a PSG legend, having spent seven prolific campaigns there and eventually departing as their all-time top scorer with 256 goals in 308 games.
But his legacy was a little tainted by the manner of his departure, the sense among many that for the last half of his time in Paris he was just waiting for the right moment to move to Madrid, the club he had dreamed of representing as a young boy.
PSG, under their Qatari president Nasser al-Khelaifi, were not happy with the way in which Mbappe chose to run down his contract in order to sign for Real in 2024, denying them a transfer fee.
A bitter legal dispute has gone on between the parties for much of the time since, with Mbappe claiming he is owed 55 million euros ($64.4 million) in unpaid wages and bonuses from his spell in Paris.
The latest twist came just this week, when one of Mbappe's lawyers told AFP that the France captain had withdrawn a complaint of moral harassment against his former employers.
That was after the Paris prosecutor's office revealed last month that an investigation had been opened following a complaint by the player over the way he was treated by PSG in the summer of 2023.
He believes he was sidelined by PSG and made to train with players the club were looking to offload after refusing to agree a new contract.
Mbappe missed a pre-season tour to Japan and the start of the next campaign before eventually being reintegrated into Luis Enrique's squad.
All of that should have been behind Mbappe long ago, given the way his first season at Real has gone on a personal level.
The 26-year-old, a World Cup winner in 2018, scored 43 goals in 56 matches for his new club across all competitions up to the end of the campaign in La Liga, a remarkable tally.
However, Mbappe has endured frustration at the Club World Cup, not featuring at all during the group stage due to a stomach bug which led to him requiring hospital treatment.
In his absence, young forward Gonzalo Garcia has made the step up in impressive fashion, starting all five matches in the United States and scoring four goals.
The last of those was the opener in the 3-2 quarter-final win over Borussia Dortmund at the MetLife Stadium on Saturday, but it was Mbappe who got what was ultimately the deciding goal.
He came off the bench midway through the second half and scored a brilliant, acrobatic overhead kick for Real's third of the afternoon in stoppage time.
"He is still not perfect, not 100 percent, but he is getting better every day," Alonso said of Mbappe after that match.
"Now he will have three days to keep progressing and feeling better ahead of the semi-final."
It is hard to imagine Mbappe not getting his first start of the tournament against PSG, the club who won the Champions League in the season following his departure after so many years of disappointment in Europe with him in the team.
PSG came to the US fresh from crushing Inter Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final.
They reached the last four with a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in Atlanta in the last eight -- despite having Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez sent off -- and need not fear Real.
"It doesn't matter who we play in the semi-finals. All that matters is that we are there and that we want to get to the final," said Luis Enrique, for whom this is also a special occasion given that he spent five years at Madrid as a player in the 1990s.
Alonso has just taken over as Real coach after an outstanding spell with Bayer Leverkusen and has already displayed great tactical flexibility, flitting between a back four and a three-man central defence at the tournament.
It will be fascinating to see which system he opts for here, and if Mbappe starts as he prepares to play against PSG for the first time since July 2017, when he was still a thrilling teenager at Monaco. Luis Enrique's PSG are hoping to add the Club World Cup title to the Champions League they won at the end of May AFP
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Prospects for peace and World Cup lift mood in DR Congo – DW – 07/10/2025
A new sense of hope is in the air the DR Congo, fueled by a recent peace deal and the prospect of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. These are busy times for football in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The women's team are playing in the African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) for the first time since 2012 while the men are currently top of their qualification group for the 2026 World Cup, putting them on course for a first appearance on the global stage since 1974. Off the pitch, there is also encouraging news. If a peace deal that was signed in June between the country and neighboring Rwanda holds, enduring violence could recede and citizens could have a fresh chance to play or watch sport. The eastern region of the 11th biggest country in the world has been dogged by violence for the past 30 years, which has, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, resulted in the deaths of approximately six million people. Fighting escalated earlier this year as M23, a rebel paramilitary group that, according to the Congo and the United Nations, is backed by Rwanda, made inroads against the Congolese army. Details of the peace plan, brokered by the United States, may be currently vague with concerns over whether it can hold and the low levels of trust between the two parties, but the prospect of stability is a welcome one. "Congo is one of the most mineral-rich countries in the world," Murithi Mutiga, Africa Program Director at the International Crisis Group, told DW. "One hopes that eventually this [peace deal] will be implemented and with luck and also concerted diplomatic efforts, that Congo may reach its potential." If the fighting stops, football can continue all over the country. "In terms of the national game, a peace deal needs to be sorted because a number of the clubs that are based in the east of the country have not been able to play as a result of the recent conflict and invasion," Guy Burton, an international research analyst on conflict and peace, told DW. "Ultimately for the game to flourish, you need to have stability, you need to have peace. When war is happening, the priority is just to survive." Peace is just a start. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "Provided it is followed by concrete and sustainable implementation, the state and investors can better finance the rehabilitation of stadiums, community fields, and training centers," Francisco Mulonga, president of football club Sporting Club de Kinshasa, told DW. "Regions formerly at war could finally benefit from real sports facilities." Greater opportunities in cities such as Goma, which lies near the border with Rwanda, would give young men a choice and a brighter future that involves kicking a ball and not picking up a gun or getting involved in crime. "Football can really help young men turn away from violence and adopt a healthier lifestyle through sport, especially in contexts marked by poverty, idleness, or social tensions," Mulonga added. "Playing football fosters the creation of strong social bonds between young people from different backgrounds. Football is a model of hope and ambition." Reaching the 2026 World Cup could be a game-changer. Even amid instability at home, DR Congo is top of its qualification group, with Senegal and Sudan close behind and just four games remaining. DR Congo faces those two teams on home soil later this year in what should be decisive clashes. "If the men's team qualifies, people will look more at Congo, to come and invest and help the kids," Ricardo Eluka, founder of Espoir Football Academy in Kinshasa, which he set up to help young people fulfil their dreams, told DW. There is enough natural ability in the country to shine and join continental teams that often appear at the big tournaments. "Congo has the same level of talent as the Nigerian team, Ghana and Senegal. We have these kinds of players but we don't have the money to come and invest," said Eluka. "If we had more money coming, football in Congo would be huge." More investment at grassroots, in facilities and in the clubs would help the country produce more players such as Chancel Mbemba who has appeared almost 100 times for the national team and played at prestigious European clubs such as Newcastle United, Porto and Marseille, as well as forward Cedric Bakambu. 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The goalkeeper contrasts the situation with Cameroon and Morocco where, she says, FIFA prize money goes back into the women's game and South Africa where the women are paid almost as much as the men. "In our country, the winners of the women's championship earn US $10,000 (€8500), while the men's earn US$150,000." It may be left for the women to do it themselves, to achieve international success in order to help those back at home. "If the women play well, we will have more female students," Eluka said. "The problem in Congo, there is no investment made, no facilities for the ladies to practice and get better." It remains to be seen how the men getting to the World Cup would help the women's game but it would certainly be celebrated in a country that has not had much to celebrate in recent years. "Football is almost a national religion in Congo," said Mitiga. "If it qualifies for the World Cup as it seems well-poised to do, it will really energize and electrify the nation and it will bring people together."
DW
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Potential peace and World Cup spot spark hope for DR Congo – DW – 07/10/2025
A new sense of hope is in the air the DR Congo is fueled by a recent peace deal and the impact of potentially qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. These are busy times for football in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The women's team are playing in the African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) for the first time since 2012 while the men are currently top of their qualification group for the 2026 World Cup, putting them on course for a first appearance on the global stage since 1974. Off the pitch, there is also encouraging news. If a peace deal that was signed in June between the country and neighboring Rwanda holds, the sport could reach new levels. The eastern region of the 11th biggest country in the world has been dogged by violence for the past 30 years, which has, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, resulted in the deaths of approximately six million people. Fighting escalated earlier this year as M23, a rebel paramilitary group that, according to the Congo and the United Nations, is backed by Rwanda, made inroads against the Congolese army. Details of the peace plan, brokered by the United States, may be currently vague with concerns over whether it can hold and the low levels of trust between the two parties, but the prospect of stability is a welcome one. "Congo is one of the most mineral-rich countries in the world," Murithi Mutiga, Africa Program Director at the International Crisis Group, told DW. "One hopes that eventually this [peace deal] will be implemented and with luck and also concerted diplomatic efforts, that Congo may reach its potential." If the fighting stops, football can continue all over the country. "In terms of the national game, a peace deal needs to be sorted because a number of the clubs that are based in the east of the country have not been able to play as a result of the recent conflict and invasion," Guy Burton, an international research analyst on conflict and peace, told DW. "Ultimately for the game to flourish, you need to have stability, you need to have peace. When war is happening, the priority is just to survive." Peace is just a start. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "Provided it is followed by concrete and sustainable implementation, the state and investors can better finance the rehabilitation of stadiums, community fields, and training centers," Francisco Mulonga, president of football club Sporting Club de Kinshasa, told DW. "Regions formerly at war could finally benefit from real sports facilities." Greater opportunities in cities such as Goma, which lies near the border with Rwanda, would give young men a choice and a brighter future that involves kicking a ball and not picking up a gun or getting involved in crime. "Football can really help young men turn away from violence and adopt a healthier lifestyle through sport, especially in contexts marked by poverty, idleness, or social tensions," Mulonga added. "Playing football fosters the creation of strong social bonds between young people from different backgrounds. Football is a model of hope and ambition." Reaching the 2026 World Cup could be a game-changer. Even amid instability at home, DR Congo is top of its qualification group, with Senegal and Sudan close behind and just four games remaining. DR Congo faces those two teams on home soil later this year in what should be decisive clashes. "If the men's team qualifies, people will look more at Congo, to come and invest and help the kids," Ricardo Eluka, founder of Espoir Football Academy in Kinshasa, which he set up to help young people fulfil their dreams, told DW. There is enough natural ability in the country to shine and join continental teams that often appear at the big tournaments. "Congo has the same level of talent as the Nigerian team, Ghana and Senegal. We have these kinds of players but we don't have the money to come and invest," said Eluka. "If we had more money coming, football in Congo would be huge." More investment at grassroots, in facilities and in the clubs would help the country produce more players such as Chancel Mbemba who has appeared almost 100 times for the national team and played at prestigious European clubs such as Newcastle United, Porto and Marseille, as well as forward Cedric Bakambu. 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The goalkeeper contrasts the situation with Cameroon and Morocco where, she says, FIFA prize money goes back into the women's game and South Africa where the women are paid almost as much as the men. "In our country, the winners of the women's championship earn US $10,000 (€8500), while the men's earn US$150,000." It may be left for the women to do it themselves, to achieve international success in order to help those back at home. "If the women play well, we will have more female students," Eluka said. "The problem in Congo, there is no investment made, no facilities for the ladies to practice and get better." It remains to be seen how the men getting to the World Cup would help the women's game but it would certainly be celebrated in a country that has not had much to celebrate in recent years. "Football is almost a national religion in Congo," said Mitiga. 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Int'l Business Times
2 days ago
- Int'l Business Times
PSG Inflict Humiliating Defeat On Real Madrid To Reach Club World Cup Final
Fabian Ruiz scored twice as European champions Paris Saint-Germain turned on the style in their reunion with Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday, thrashing Real Madrid 4-0 in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup to set up a final showdown with Chelsea. Ruiz and Ousmane Dembele scored inside nine minutes to stun Real and silence the majority of the 77,542 crowd who were wearing white at the MetLife Stadium outside New York. The Spanish midfielder added another before half-time and Goncalo Ramos got a late fourth as Luis Enrique's side moved one game away from glory at FIFA's new tournament. Victory against Chelsea on Sunday would complete a campaign of unparalleled success for the Parisians, who won the French title and then the first UEFA Champions League in their history in May. "We are in a special season, a special moment, and we deserved to win," Luis Enrique told broadcaster DAZN before looking ahead to the final. "We are going to try, one more step against a good team like Chelsea. They did great, they performed the whole competition and now it is time for us to prepare for that... we want to make history in our club, and then take some holidays." After blowing away Inter Milan 5-0, the biggest victory in European Cup final history, PSG began their Club World Cup bid by putting four past Atletico Madrid and the ease with which they disposed of Real was striking. PSG's fluidity contrasted starkly with Madrid, who are a work in progress under new coach Xabi Alonso. "We were not good enough today," said Alonso. "We are not the first ones to lose to them but we have a lot of different things to improve." Mbappe struggled to make any impact on his first start at the tournament and in his first game against PSG since leaving the French club last year. The defeat is a real blow to Real as they hoped to win the first 32-team Club World Cup to add to their record tally of 15 European Cups. PSG were without imposing centre-back Willian Pacho due to suspension following his sending-off against Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, but that did not matter. Lucas Beraldo slotted into the defence with ease, and the rest of PSG's first-choice line-up was there. Real were missing central defender Dean Huijsen through suspension, while the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold was an added blow. The return to the starting XI of Mbappe, who missed the entire group stage through illness, did not prevent young striker Gonzalo Garcia from keeping his place. But the Spanish giants' front line, completed by Vinicius Junior, made no real impact, such was the extent of PSG's domination. Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made two superb saves inside the opening five minutes, the first to tip away a Ruiz shot, and the second to deny Nuno Mendes from point-blank range. Yet Courtois could not prevent Paris from scoring in the sixth minute, as Dembele pounced on slack defending by Raul Asencio. The Real 'keeper saved at the forward's feet but Ruiz converted the loose ball. Three minutes later and the contest was effectively over when Antonio Rudiger failed to control a simple pass from Jude Bellingham, allowing Dembele to run through before finishing low into the corner. Like his friend Mbappe, Dembele was starting for the first time at the competition having been injured. That was a 35th club goal since August for a player who is a serious candidate for the Ballon d'Or. It was turning into a humiliating afternoon for Real as PSG got their third midway through the first half. A deflected shot by Mbappe was easily held by Gianluigi Donnarumma, and no Madrid player touched the ball again before they were picking it out of their net a minute later. Dembele released Achraf Hakimi on the right and he squared for Ruiz, the Spain star taking a touch to hold off Fede Valverde before finishing. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could have got a fourth before the interval, while Desire Doue had a goal disallowed early in the second half. But Real were not coming back, and Alonso opted to take off Bellingham and Vinicius just after the hour mark in a clear sign of surrender. PSG then got their fourth after 87 minutes when Ramos controlled a pass from fellow substitute Bradley Barcola, turned and fired in. Fabian Ruiz scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain thrashed Real Madrid in their Club World Cup semi-final on Wednesday AFP
