PSG vs Inter Miami LIVE: Lionel Messi given harsh reality check against former club in Club World Cup

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The Independent

·29 June 2025

PSG vs Inter Miami LIVE: Lionel Messi given harsh reality check against former club in Club World Cup

Messi continues preparations for PSG reunion

Lionel Messi was dealt a harsh reality check against his former club as Paris Saint-Germain stormed to a 4-0 thrashing of Inter Miami to send the last remaining American team out of the Club World Cup.

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PSG looked levels above their MLS opponents from the outset and took the lead inside just five minutes, Joao Neves going unnoticed at the back post to head home.

Neves then doubled his and PSG's tally for the afternoon as the Parisian press punished Miami, before Achraf Hakimi and a Tomas Avila own goal made it four just before the break.

PSG stepped off the gas a bit in the second half with the game already won, allowing Messi and Miami to threaten. However, Gianluigi Donnarumma's clean sheet remained in tact until the final whistle as PSG progressed to the quarter-finals with a statement victory.

Time to switch over!

But wait, there’s more!

Our Club World Cup coverage is far from over tonight, with Bayern Munich facing Flamengo in the second of today’s knockout matches.

That kicks off RIGHT NOW - be sure to follow our live blog below so you don’t miss out!

Bayern Munich vs Flamengo live: Club World Cup team news and updates

Flamengo have already claimed one scalp at the Club World Cup by beating Chelsea in the group stages

Will Castle29 June 2025 21:00

The biggest Club World Cup question is still unanswered – does anyone care?

There is the £1bn broadcasting deal, the £97m prize for the winners, the guarantee of a minimum of over £30m in revenue for the Premier League participants. There is the possibility of the kind of windfall that could bring domestic dominance for a club from outside Europe. There is the potential reward of cracking America, as everyone looks to build their brand.

In a sense, though, the Club World Cup depends upon a different kind of investment. Whatever the big financial figures, it needs buy-in: not from Fifa’s partners but from the part of the footballing family who are rarely consulted, the fans.

The Club World Cup is in a battle for hearts and minds and eyeballs. It is a matter if – and it is too early to draw definitive conclusions – people buy into it; if they invest their time, their hopes and their emotions.

The biggest Club World Cup question is still unanswered – does anyone care?

Despite Fifa’s propaganda, the Club World Cup remains in a battle for hearts, minds and eyeballs, with its future hinging on fans’ engagement. Richard Jolly explains

Richard Jolly29 June 2025 20:45

PSG mean business in the Club World Cup

Who can stop this PSG side?

(Getty Images)

Will Castle29 June 2025 20:35

Did Lionel Messi's exit kickstart the 'new PSG'?

Under Luis Enrique, PSG have experienced a complete shift in identity. From a club reliant on its superstars and thus fallible of falling victim to their egos and personal agendas, to the well-oiled machine and Champions League winners we now love to watch.

Messi fell into the former category. A front three of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar Jr and himself struck fear into every defence on the planet - but all three would have felt they were bigger than the club. It was a sentiment lamented by the PSG fans, who expressed their displeasure with these footballing megastars repeatedly.

Messi’s quiet exit from PSG in 2023, followed by Neymar’s that same summer and Mbappe’s a year later, opened the door for PSG to rebrand, detoxifying their image and shifting into the powerhouse we know today.

PSG are one of the favourites to win the Club World Cup (Getty)

Will Castle29 June 2025 20:25

PSG love demolishing an 'Inter'

(Getty Images)

(AP)

Will Castle29 June 2025 20:15

Report: PSG thrash Inter Miami in Club World Cup knockouts as Lionel Messi overwhelmed by former club

Lionel Messi was overwhelmed by his former employers as Paris Saint-Germain stormed to a 4-0 thrashing of Inter Miami to send the last remaining American team out of the Club World Cup.

With Messi facing the team where he spent two seasons before moving to the MLS in the twilight of his stellar career, the European champions quickly erased the Miami’s hopes of pulling off a monumental upset before a crowd of 65,574 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.