Real Madrid advanced past Borussia Dortmund in the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals in one of the most breathtaking finishes seen in recent years, with the Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid lineups and their respective tactical approaches proving central to a 3–2 result that remained in genuine doubt until the very last kick of the match.
Kick-off at MetLife Stadium took place on the evening of Saturday, July 5, 2025, at 9:00 PM local time, drawing a crowd of 76,611 passionate supporters who witnessed an unforgettable contest on American soil.
Confirmed Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid Lineups
Carlo Ancelotti deployed Thibaut Courtois in goal, with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rüdiger, Dean Huijsen, and Fran Garcia forming the back four.
Federico Valverde captained the side in a three-man midfield alongside Aurelien Tchouameni and Arda Guler, with Jude Bellingham operating in the number ten role behind Gonzalo García and Vinicius Júnior.
Real Madrid Starting Lineup
| # | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Courtois | GK |
| 12 | Alexander-Arnold | RB |
| 22 | Rüdiger | CB |
| 24 | Huijsen | CB |
| 20 | F. Garcia | LB |
| 8 | Valverde (C) | CM |
| 14 | Tchouameni | CM |
| 15 | Guler | AM |
| 5 | Bellingham | AM |
| 30 | G. García | FW |
| 7 | Vinicius Júnior | FW |
Dortmund lined up with Gregor Kobel in goal, protected by a back four of Niklas Süle, Waldemar Anton, Ramy Bensebaini, and Julian Ryerson.
Pascal Groß and Marcel Sabitzer operated in central midfield with Julian Brandt wearing the captain’s armband behind Karim Adeyemi and Serhou Guirassy.
Borussia Dortmund Starting XI
| # | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kobel | GK |
| 25 | Süle | CB |
| 3 | Anton | CB |
| 5 | Bensebaini | LB |
| 26 | Ryerson | RB |
| 13 | Groß | CM |
| 20 | Sabitzer | CM |
| 10 | Brandt (C) | AM |
| 24 | Svensson | MF |
| 27 | Adeyemi | FW |
| 9 | Guirassy | ST |
- Real Madrid’s captain for the night was Valverde, deputising in the leadership role
- Huijsen and Rüdiger formed a commanding but ultimately fragile central defensive partnership
- Dortmund’s narrow midfield was built to press high and deny Real Madrid time on the ball
- Guirassy’s lone striker role placed enormous physical demand on him throughout
Match Timeline and Key Events
Gonzalo García opened the scoring in the 10th minute, with Arda Guler providing the assist in what was a bright and assured start from the Spanish giants.
Fran Garcia doubled the lead on 20 minutes, finishing with composure to seemingly put Real Madrid in full control of the quarter-final tie.
The match appeared headed toward a comfortable Madrid victory, but the closing stages produced one of football’s most chaotic final sequences in recent memory.
Maximilian Beier, introduced from the bench at half-time, pulled one back for Dortmund in the 92nd minute to set up a frantic conclusion inside MetLife Stadium.
Kylian Mbappé — who had replaced Vinicius Júnior and others in the 67th minute — then struck in the 94th minute to restore Real Madrid’s two-goal advantage, with Guler again claiming the assist.
But Dortmund refused to capitulate. Guirassy converted a penalty in the 98th minute to make it 3–2, before Huijsen was shown a red card in the 96th minute, leaving Real Madrid to hold on with ten men.
Goals and Key Moments
| Event | Time | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goal | 10′ | G. García (Guler assist) | Real Madrid |
| Goal | 20′ | F. Garcia | Real Madrid |
| Yellow Card | 38′ | Groß | Dortmund |
| Goal | 92′ | Beier | Dortmund |
| Goal | 94′ | Mbappé (Guler assist) | Real Madrid |
| Red Card | 96′ | Huijsen | Real Madrid |
| Penalty Goal | 98′ | Guirassy | Dortmund |
- Arda Guler was the standout creative force, providing two decisive assists from his starting position
- Mbappé’s impact from the bench underlines why Real Madrid consider him the world’s most dangerous supersub
- Dortmund’s triple substitution at half-time radically altered the dynamics of the second half
- The referee Ramon Abatti Abel had a difficult evening managing a match that boiled over in stoppage time
Substitutes and Tactical Changes
Real Madrid’s bench proved decisive, with Mbappé, Luka Modric, David Ceballos, and Rodrygo all introduced during the second half, injecting fresh legs and creative energy into a side that had appeared to be coasting.
For Dortmund, Yann Couto, Felix Nmecha, Beier, Julian Duranville, and Chukwuemeka all featured from the bench, with Beier’s late goal fully justifying his introduction.
Substitutions at a Glance
| Real Madrid Sub | Came On | Dortmund Sub | Came On |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mbappé | 67′ | Couto | 45′ |
| Modric | 67′ | Nmecha | 45′ |
| Ceballos | 67′ | Beier | 45′ |
| Rodrygo | 86′ | Duranville | 63′ |
| Asencio | 85′ | Chukwuemeka | 82′ |
- Mbappé’s goal-scoring cameo reinforces his status as one of the most impactful substitutes in world football
- Dortmund’s bold half-time triple change showed managerial ambition but nearly led to an even greater embarrassment
- Beier’s 92nd-minute goal was a reminder that Dortmund never give up regardless of the scoreline
- Real Madrid’s red card to Huijsen cast a shadow over their quarter-final victory heading into the next round
