Real Madrid chose the wrong Frenchman?

At MetLife, in the scorching New Jersey sun, Paris Saint-Germain didn’t just beat Real Madrid 4-0. They crushed their opponents in style, spirit, and character. It wasn’t just a victory – it was a chilling statement. PSG isn’t just thriving after Kylian Mbappe, they’re shining brighter than ever.

And amid that perfect performance, the name Ousmane Dembele emerged as a symbol of transformation, while Mbappe - the one expected - only left great disappointment.

When the stars go out before a collective machine

Less than 25 minutes after the opening whistle, Real Madrid were 3-0 down in the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™. On the pitch, the players in white staggered out to drink water during an unplanned break. An unexpected "time-out", but necessary to avoid complete collapse.

The problem was not the score, but the sense of desperation that permeated Real Madrid's every move. They had no answer to PSG's speed, understanding and discipline. While Luis Enrique's team functioned as a unified unit, Real Madrid were a disjointed unit - individuals who looked as if they had never played together before.

Ousmane Dembele is no longer the disappointing signing he was at Barcelona. Under Luis Enrique, he is no longer an inconsistent winger. The Frenchman is a three-headed arrow: attacking, pressing and linking play.

It was Dembele who put pressure on Antonio Rudiger, causing him to make the mistake that led to the second goal. He also dropped deep, pulled his body and made a clever pass for Hakimi to run down and assist the third goal. And before that, Dembele was the one who won the ball from a pressing move to trigger the opening goal. PSG's first three goals all had his mark - not loud, not flashy, but brutally effective.

With 35 goals this season, Dembele has not only left his mark in numbers. He is the epitome of PSG today: no longer dependent on individuals, no need for "superstars", but a smooth and cool-running machine.

Dembele shined on the day PSG overwhelmed Real Madrid.

Ironically, the man PSG gave up on was the man who is currently causing Real Madrid trouble: Kylian Mbappe. In his first match against his former club after a noisy farewell, Mbappe must have envisioned a glorious scenario - where he scored goals, raised his stature, asserted himself.

But the reality was much harsher. Mbappe was completely blocked. In the 38th minute, when he tried to finish after a familiar run from the left wing, João Neves - a midfielder just 20 years old - rushed in to block the ball, leaving Mbappe lying on the ground, helpless. It was not just a failed play, but a symbolic moment: Real Madrid was now a land he could not dominate.

What is more worrying is that Mbappe does not make Real play better. When he is absent due to a minor injury, Real Madrid play neatly and coherently with young striker Gonzalo Garcia. Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham also play better. But when Mbappe returns, the team is unbalanced, space is reduced, the ball moves slower. A superstar, but not necessarily the right piece.

PSG dominated the whole thing, but that ease was largely due to the way Real Madrid… self-destructed. The defense was shattered when Fede Valverde was forced to play at right-back in place of the injured Alexander-Arnold. The midfield lacked creativity and competitiveness without Toni Kroos, and Luka Modric only came on at the end of the match for his last time in the white shirt.

Mbappe disappointed on the day of reunion with his old team.

No one was leading the game, no one was maintaining the rhythm of the game. Real were forced to retreat deep, constantly making mistakes, and most importantly: not responding. They were no longer the team that controlled the game like they were at their peak - but a team that was tired by the opponent's passing.

“If Mbappe is like Dembélé...”

There is a painful question that is being asked over and over again at Real Madrid: Did they pick the wrong Frenchman?

While Dembele shines quietly with the collective spirit, Mbappe is still haunted by the role of hero. But modern football is no longer a place for superstars to perform solo. It is a game of organization, of pressing, of cohesion and sacrifice. Dembele understands that. Mbappe does not.

And PSG - the team that was said to "collapse after Mbappe" - is on a brilliant rise, preparing to enter the Club World Cup final. Meanwhile, Mbappe's Real Madrid is panicking and searching for itself.

Perhaps the most bitter thing for Mbappe is that when looking back, what he left behind in Paris was the version that Real Madrid needed the most. Someone like Dembele.