The French giants Paris Saint-Germain were handed a surprise 1-0 defeat by Brazilian side Botafogo in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup group stage.
The match, played at the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California, saw 53,699 spectators witness a tense and gritty battle between the champions of Europe and South America.
The only goal of the game came in the 36th minute, when Igor Jesus latched onto a brilliant pass from Jefferson Savarino.
The Brazilian striker outsmarted PSG defender Willian Pacho before sending a low shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The ball took a slight deflection but found the back of the net, giving Botafogo a vital lead that they managed to protect until the final whistle.
“A lot of people wondered, but we showed how strong Botafogo is,” said Igor Jesus after the match. “It was a difficult game, and we had to defend well, and we did our job and scored a goal. We’re really happy — we knew how important this game was. One team was the champion of the Champions League, the other team was the champion of South America.”
Jesus, who had been linked to a move to the English Premier League earlier this year, added, “I think I made the right choice to stay in Botafogo.”
The PSG side, which had come into the match full of confidence after a commanding 5-0 Champions League final win over Inter Milan, found themselves frustrated by a highly disciplined and hardworking Botafogo midfield. Despite enjoying much of the ball, the French club struggled to break down their opponent’s defense.
PSG coach Luis Enrique noted, “We knew it was going to be a very difficult match — they defended very well. This Club World Cup is very intense and difficult, and all the teams are highly motivated, especially when they’re playing against us.”
The defeat halted PSG’s momentum in the tournament and denied them the chance to become the first side to reach the round of 16. The French side had started their Group B campaign with a dominant 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid, but this setback now leaves their progression hanging in the balance.
“If there’s a team that can turn it around, it’s our team,” Luis Enrique said. “We’ve got to analyse this and there’s things we can improve. But I think our performance was good.”
