Here’s a spirited recap of the Real Madrid 3–2 Borussia Dortmund thriller from the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup quarter‑final at MetLife Stadium.
🏟️ Match Summary
First half dominance (2–0)
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10’ – Gonzalo García, 21-year-old Castilla graduate, opened the scoring after a clever Arda Güler cross (theguardian.com).
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20’ – Fran García doubled the lead with a composed finish—his first goal in over 50 appearances (reuters.com).
Throughout the first 80 minutes, Real Madrid controlled possession and created multiple chances, ending with 15 shots and 48.4% control (hudsonriverblue.com).
🔥 Stoppage-time rollercoaster
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90+2’ – Maximilian Beier pulled one back for Dortmund after capitalizing on a loose ball (skysports.com).
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90+4’ – Kylian Mbappé responded instantly with a stunning bicycle-kick strike (espn.com).
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90+8’ – Dortmund earned a penalty when Dean Huijsen was sent off; Serhou Guirassy converted to reduce it to 3–2 (espn.com).
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In the dying seconds, Thibaut Courtois made a fingertip save from Marcel Sabitzer to preserve the win (espn.com).
✅ Tactical and Player Insights
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Xabi Alonso’s tactics: Coherent structure and youth integration were key. Both Garcías exemplified his meritocratic selection approach (theguardian.com).
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Gonzalo García: Now tied as the tournament’s top scorer with four goals in just five matches (aftonbladet.se).
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Mbappé: His match-winning acrobatic goal came shortly after returning from illness—a confidence booster ahead of facing PSG (theguardian.com).
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Courtois: Delivered a Man of the Match performance; last-ditch save underlined his elite abilities .
🎥 Highlights
Watch Mbappé’s breathtaking strike and that iconic Courtois save in this video:
Real Madrid C.F. vs Borussia Dortmund: FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Highlights
🔍 What this means
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Real Madrid advances to the semi-final to face European rival Paris Saint-Germain
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Dortmund exit, but the contest was a testament to their late-game resilience
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The win marks another strategic milestone in Alonso’s fledgling tenure, blending youth talent and big-match experience
🔮 Looking ahead
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Madrid’s next test comes against familiar foes PSG, promising a tactical rematch: star power vs. tactical youth-driven plans
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Dortmund will regroup under Kovač and aim for a strong return next season—this defeat, though narrow, showed grit and promise
📝 Final Thoughts
This match was an instant classic: a composed Madrid side nearly unraveled by late-game tension, only to be saved by moments of brilliance. The Garcías proved Xabi Alonso’s vision can bear fruit, Mbappé restored elite confidence, and Courtois reminded us why he’s a top-tier keeper. Now, the stage is set for a marquee clash against PSG.
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