The Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid lineups and stats from the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final on July 5, 2025 told the story of a two-goal Real Madrid cruise that nearly became the most dramatic collapse in the competition’s history.
Real Madrid won 3-2 in front of 76,611 supporters at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with three of the five goals arriving in a frantic, breathless stoppage time.
Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid Starting Lineups
Real Madrid took to the field in a 4-1-2-1-2 system under Xabi Alonso.
Thibaut Courtois started in goal, protected by a back four of Fran Garcia, Dean Huijsen, Antonio Rudiger, and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Aurelien Tchouameni anchored the midfield, with Federico Valverde and Arda Guler operating in the two interior roles.
Jude Bellingham played as the number ten behind a front two of Gonzalo Garcia and Vinicius Junior.
Kylian Mbappe, recovering from illness, was named on the bench.
Borussia Dortmund set up in a 3-5-2 with Gregor Kobel in goal.
A back three of Ramy Bensebaini, Waldemar Anton, and Niklas Sule protected him.
Julian Ryerson and Daniel Svensson operated as wingbacks, with Marcel Sabitzer, Pascal Gross, and Julian Brandt forming the midfield three.
Serhou Guirassy and Karim Adeyemi led the attack.
Jobe Bellingham was suspended for the match.
Real Madrid Starting XI (4-1-2-1-2)
| No. | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thibaut Courtois | GK |
| 12 | Trent Alexander-Arnold | RB |
| 22 | Antonio Rudiger | CB |
| 24 | Dean Huijsen | CB |
| 20 | Fran Garcia | LB |
| 14 | Aurelien Tchouameni | DM |
| 8 | Federico Valverde | CM |
| 15 | Arda Guler | CM |
| 5 | Jude Bellingham | AM |
| 7 | Vinicius Junior | FW |
| 30 | Gonzalo Garcia | FW |
Borussia Dortmund Starting XI (3-5-2)
| No. | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gregor Kobel | GK |
| 5 | Ramy Bensebaini | CB |
| 3 | Waldemar Anton | CB |
| 25 | Niklas Sule | CB |
| 26 | Julian Ryerson | RWB |
| 20 | Marcel Sabitzer | CM |
| 13 | Pascal Gross | CM |
| 10 | Julian Brandt | CM |
| 24 | Daniel Svensson | LWB |
| 27 | Karim Adeyemi | FW |
| 9 | Serhou Guirassy | FW |
How the Game Unfolded
Gonzalo Garcia opened the scoring on 10 minutes, finishing a slick move set up by an outstanding Arda Guler assist.
Fran Garcia doubled the lead on 20 minutes, heading home from an Alexander-Arnold cross in a moment that earned him the Man of the Match award.
Madrid’s back four had been solid throughout, and Guler pulled the strings from midfield with two assists to his name.
Bellingham was lively but squandered a golden one-on-one chance in the 27th minute that could have put the tie beyond doubt.
Dortmund introduced three changes at half-time and improved markedly.
The game swung wildly in added time.
Maximilian Beier, introduced from the bench, fired a stunning finish past Courtois in the 92nd minute to give Dortmund hope.
Mbappe, also a substitute, then ended the contest with one of the goals of the tournament — a spectacular bicycle kick in the 94th minute from another Guler pass.
Huijsen then fouled Guirassy in the box and received a red card, and the Dortmund striker converted the resulting penalty in the 98th minute.
Courtois denied Marcel Sabitzer with a fingertip save on the game’s last touch to preserve the win and send Real Madrid into the semi-finals against Paris Saint-Germain.
Key Goal Events
| Time | Team | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 10′ | Real Madrid | Gonzalo Garcia (Guler assist) |
| 20′ | Real Madrid | Fran Garcia (Alexander-Arnold assist) |
| 90+2′ | Dortmund | Maximilian Beier |
| 90+4′ | Real Madrid | Kylian Mbappe (Guler assist) |
| 90+8′ | Dortmund | Serhou Guirassy (pen) |
| 90+7′ | Real Madrid | Dean Huijsen red card |
Full Match Stats
| Stat | Real Madrid | Borussia Dortmund |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 3 | 2 |
| Possession | 48.4% | 51.6% |
| Shots on Target | 8 | 5 |
| Total Shots | 15 | 12 |
| Passes | 430 | 486 |
| Pass Accuracy | 87% | 92% |
| Fouls | 10 | 6 |
| Yellow Cards | 1 | 2 |
| Red Cards | 1 | 0 |
| Corner Kicks | 3 | 3 |
| Saves | 3 | 5 |
Real Madrid advance to the semi-finals, though Huijsen’s suspension will be a concern for Alonso heading into the PSG fixture.
Dortmund showed enormous character in the closing minutes but their failure to threaten for 90 minutes before that proved ultimately decisive.
