The Club World Cup just got a lot more exciting—and it’s all thanks to Botafogo’s shocking win over Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Before this match, most people expected PSG to easily win. After all, they’re one of Europe’s strongest teams and won the UEFA Champions League by beating some of the toughest teams in the world.

But soccer is a funny game, and sometimes, even the best teams don’t get the result they expect.

PSG Came In as Heavy Favorites

Before the tournament started, PSG were seen as one of the favorites to win. With stars like Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha, and Gonçalo Ramos, and a great coach in Luis Enrique, they had every reason to feel confident.

In France’s Ligue 1, PSG had been unbeatable. They scored tons of goals, dominated matches, and barely gave their opponents a chance. In fact, during the Champions League, they often made world-class teams look ordinary.

So when they faced Botafogo, a Brazilian team that many casual fans didn’t expect to go far, most people thought the game would be one-sided.

The Stats Tell One Story…

On paper, PSG looked like they dominated. They had 74.6% of the ball, which means they controlled the game most of the time. They made 749 passes, while Botafogo only managed 262. That’s almost three times more!

PSG’s midfielder Vitinha had an incredible game, making 144 passes, the most by any player in a single Club World Cup match so far. His job was to keep the ball moving and create chances, and he did just that. Sadly for him and PSG, none of those chances turned into goals.

Even Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who is usually a hero for PSG, took five shots—but none of them went in. Sometimes in soccer, no matter how many times you shoot, the ball just won’t find the net.

PSG tried everything. They made 31 crosses into the penalty box compared to Botafogo’s 3. They also had 10 corner kicks while Botafogo had just 1. PSG attempted 41 dribbles, while Botafogo only had 16. All of this shows how PSG was on the attack for most of the game.

But… the scoreboard doesn’t care about stats. It only cares about goals.

…But the Result Tells a Different One

Even though PSG looked like the better team when it came to ball control and chances, Botafogo had the most important number: 1 goal.

And that one goal came from Igor Jesus, who scored his second goal of the tournament. It was also Botafogo’s only shot on target the whole game. Sometimes in soccer, that’s all it takes—one shot, one goal.

Jesus’ goal came from a fast break after PSG lost the ball again. Some of their players were still moving forward and didn’t have time to get back and defend. That gave Jesus just enough space to score. It wasn’t the prettiest goal—he kind of bobbled it in—but it counted, and that’s what matters.

A Tough, Smart Strategy by Botafogo

So how did Botafogo pull this off?

Their coach, Renato Paiva, knew that if they tried to attack PSG the same way PSG attacks other teams, they’d probably lose. So instead, he had a plan: defend hard, frustrate PSG, and take advantage of small mistakes.

One player who really showed this strategy was Gregore, a midfielder who committed six fouls, more than any other player in the match. A lot of these were tactical—meaning they were done on purpose to stop PSG’s rhythm. This is a common strategy used by teams that want to slow the game down and break the flow.

On defense, Alexander Barboza was a rock. He made six tackles, the most by any player in the match. Tackles are when a defender tries to take the ball from an opponent without fouling. Every time Barboza stopped a PSG attack, it gave his team a breather.

And even though PSG had more of the ball, Botafogo attempted more tackles—23 compared to PSG’s 19—and won more tackles too—15 vs. 12. That shows how hard Botafogo worked, especially since they didn’t have the ball much.

PSG Struggled Without Their Stars at Full Power

Part of PSG’s problem was that some of their key players weren’t at their best.

Ousmane Dembélé, one of PSG’s fastest and most dangerous players, didn’t play. His speed and creativity were missed badly.

Desire Doue, another exciting talent, had an off day. He took just 2 shots and although he made 5 crosses, they didn’t really bother Botafogo’s defense.

Gonçalo Ramos, the striker who is supposed to score goals, only touched the ball seven times in the first half. That’s not nearly enough for a forward. You could see coach Luis Enrique getting frustrated on the sideline, yelling instructions at his team.

Hard Work Pays Off

While PSG looked great on paper, Botafogo looked better on the field where it mattered most. Six Botafogo players won the ball back at least four times, which shows how determined and organized the team was.

Botafogo didn’t try to play beautiful soccer. They didn’t try to pass their way around PSG. They just played smart, defended like their lives depended on it, and waited for the one big chance—which they took.

What Can We Learn From This Match?

• Soccer isn’t always fair: The team with more chances doesn’t always win.

• One goal can be enough: If you defend well and take your chance, you can beat anyone.

• Effort matters: Even if you’re not the most famous team, you can still succeed with hard work and a good plan.

Botafogo’s win over PSG is now one of the most talked-about results in this year’s Club World Cup—and maybe one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history. Now, other teams will be watching closely and taking notes. If PSG can lose to Botafogo, anything is possible.