In a stunning turn of events at the Club World Cup, Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) suffered a shocking 1-0 defeat against Brazil's Botafogo. The match, held at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in front of a crowd of 53,699, saw Igor Jesus' first-half goal making the difference in a hard-fought battle between the reigning champions of Europe and South America.
PSG, considered one of the favorites in the 32-team tournament after their dominant Champions League victory over Inter Milan last month, struggled to break down a resilient Botafogo defense. The French champions had previously routed Atletico Madrid 4-0 in their Group B opener, but they found it difficult to settle into their passing game against the Brazilian side due to a series of fouls.
Botafogo's midfield, consisting of Marlon Freitas, Gregore, and Allan, worked tirelessly to stifle PSG's playmaker Vitinha, denying him the space to launch attacks. Against the run of play, Botafogo took the lead in the 36th minute when Jefferson Savarino's through ball found Igor Jesus, who wrong-footed Willian Pacho and swept a shot past PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
PSG dominated possession in the second half, spending long periods in Botafogo's final third. However, they struggled to create clear-cut chances, and Botafogo's defense held firm to secure the victory. PSG had 16 shots compared to Botafogo's four, but only two of their shots were on target. This result also brought an end to the Parisians' 19-game goal-scoring streak.
Botafogo's coach, Renato Paiva, praised his team's performance, stating that they played "almost perfect technically" and gave PSG "a taste of their own poison" by playing as a cohesive team. PSG coach Luis Enrique acknowledged the intensity and difficulty of the competition, recognizing Botafogo as one of the toughest defensive teams in the tournament.
This defeat marks PSG's first loss since May 3 and puts Botafogo in a strong position to reach the knockout stages. Igor Jesus, who had been linked with a move to Nottingham Forest earlier in the year, expressed his happiness at staying with Botafogo, stating that he believed he made the right choice. Botafogo will face Atletico Madrid in their final group game, while PSG will need to win their remaining matches to ensure qualification.