The deadlock was broken in the 19th minute when Spanish midfielder Fabián Ruiz fired a magnificent left-footed strike from the edge of the box past a sprawling Jan Oblak.12 The goal came after some neat buildup play, with Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia providing a deft layoff that Ruiz converted with clinical precision.34 The stunning opener exemplified PSG's dominance in midfield, where their trio of Joao Neves, Vitinha, and Ruiz controlled proceedings against an increasingly frustrated Atlético side.3

PSG had been building pressure before the breakthrough, with Oblak already forced into saves from Gonçalo Ramos and Kvaratskhelia moments earlier.4 The goal showcased the European champions' fluid attacking style that had carried over from their 5-0 Champions League final triumph against Inter Milan just two weeks prior.5 Ruiz's strike set the tone for what would become an emphatic victory in the sweltering Los Angeles heat, where temperatures reached 31°C (87.8°F) at the midday kickoff.65

Portuguese midfielder Vitinha delivered a standout performance that earned him the Most Valuable Player award, dominating the midfield with an astonishing 98.2% passing accuracy (112 out of 114 completed passes) – the best figure for a PSG midfielder with at least 100 attempted passes since 2022.1 His brilliance was capped by a stunning right-footed strike in first-half stoppage time that doubled PSG's lead, exploiting Atlético's passive defending as he walked into the box unchallenged before firing past Oblak.23 Beyond his goal, Vitinha's control of tempo and positioning further cemented his reputation as "one of the very finest midfielders in the world" and "perhaps the most important cog in the best side in Europe."4

Julián Álvarez thought he had pulled one back for Atlético Madrid in the 57th minute when he fired home from a tight angle, but his celebrations were cut short after a VAR review determined that Koke had fouled Désiré Doué in the buildup to the strike.12 This wasn't Álvarez's first VAR heartbreak in 2025 – the Argentine forward had previously seen his penalty disallowed during Atlético's Champions League round of 16 shootout defeat to Real Madrid in March, when video review caught him making double contact with the ball after slipping during his run-up.34

The disallowed goal proved to be a pivotal moment in the match, as any hopes of an Atlético comeback were effectively extinguished. The Madrid side's frustrations boiled over later in the match when defender Clement Lenglet received a second yellow card, reducing them to ten men before PSG added two more goals to complete the rout.2 The incident highlighted the growing influence of VAR in modern football, with technology playing an increasingly decisive role in major tournaments like the FIFA Club World Cup.