FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Lionel Messi and Inter Miami nearly collapse in draw with Palmeiras, still reach knockout stage

The 2025 Club World Cup is reaching the end of the group stage with clubs moving on to the round of 16. Paris Saint-Germain emerged from Group B along with Botafogo, as Atlético Madrid did not score the necessary goals to reach the knockout round.

Then on Monday night, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami nearly fell apart completely against Palmieras.

Monday’s Club World Cup results

Paris Saint-Germain 2, Seattle Sounders FC 0

PSG is on to the round of 16 after shutting out the Sounders to win Group B. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored in the 35th minute to ensure that the Champions League winners wouldn’t be blanked for the second consecutive match after losing 1-0 to Botafogo on Thursday. Achraf Hakimi added a score in the 66th minute, converting a Bradley Barcola pass threaded between defenders. PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma did not have to make a save in the match. Seattle is the second MLS team eliminated from the tournament, joining LAFC. PSG will face Inter Miami in the knockout round on Sunday at 12 p.m. ET.

Atlético Madrid 1, Botafogo 0

Despite winning Monday’s match, Atlético Madrid will not advance to the round of 16. The Rojiblancos needed to win by three goals or more to move on from Group B. Instead, those spots will be taken by Botafogo and Paris Saint-Germain. The match’s lone goal didn’t come until the 87th minute when Antoine Griezmann scored off a cross through several defenders from Julian Alvarez. Both clubs missed scoring chances early on with Atlético Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak making.a stretching save to deny Jefferson Savarino in the 10th minute. Alvarez also missed a close shot wide left just before the half. Atlético Madrid only got the one goal despite outshooting Botafogo 23-7.

FC Porto 4, Al Ahly 4

This match was a shootout in every since of the word. But in the end, neither club made it into the next round. Al Ahly entered the locker room at halftime up 2-1, but then the two teams traded three straight goals in a three-minute span early in the second half in wild fashion — which tied the match up 3-3. Then, after Al Ahly jumped ahead again in the 64th minute, Pepê tied it up again with a huge goal from outside the box in the 89th minute to force the draw.

Inter Miami CF 2, Palmeiras 2

It looked like Inter Miami was going to roll into the knockout stage, thanks to two early goals on Monday night. Tadeo Allende scored first in the 16th minute on a breakaway, and then Luis Suarez followed suit in the second half with a goal of his own after weaving past two defenders and Palmerias’ goalie. But in the final 10 minutes of the match, Palmeiras came surging back. They snuck one in in the 80th minute, and then Maurício buried one in the back of the net in the 88th minute to even the match.

Though Miami made it into the round of 16 regardless, the late collapse wasn’t great — and it set up a battle with PSG in the next round, something that should have been avoidable. Palmeiras, now the winners of Group A, will get fellow Brazilian club Botafogo in the next round.