Kylian Mbappe is set to face his former club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final, adding extra intrigue to Real Madrid's quest for the title. The match marks the first time Mbappe will play against PSG since leaving them in the summer of 2024 to join Real Madrid.

Mbappe's move to Real Madrid has been highly successful. In 58 appearances, he has scored 44 goals and provided five assists. Recently, he overcame a stomach issue that required hospitalization and made a comeback in the Club World Cup quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund, scoring a bicycle kick. In that match, Mbappe scored a spectacular bicycle kick in stoppage time as Real Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2. He came on as a substitute in the 67th minute and restored a two-goal lead with his bicycle kick one minute later. This goal made him the first Real Madrid player to score in seven different competitions in a single season. These competitions include the UEFA Super Cup, La Liga, the Champions League, the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, the Spanish Super Cup, the Copa del Rey, and the Club World Cup.

Real Madrid reached the Club World Cup semi-final after defeating Juventus 1-0, with Gonzalo Garcia scoring the lone goal. In the quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid won 3-2. Mbappe's return from illness was a positive sign. Real Madrid has won their last five games against Dortmund and are unbeaten in seven since 2014. They beat Dortmund 2-0 in the 2024 Champions League final.

PSG has also been performing well since Mbappe's departure, having won the European treble in 2024-25. In the Club World Cup, PSG defeated Atlético de Madrid 4-0 and Bayern Munich 2-0 to reach the semi-finals.

Notably, Mbappe has dropped one of his legal battles against PSG ahead of the semi-final. He had filed two cases, one for $64.53 million in unpaid wages and another for extortion and mental harassment. While the claim for unpaid wages remains in court, he dropped the second case to focus on his Real Madrid career.

According to supercomputer predictions, PSG is favored to win the Club World Cup with a 39.33% chance, while Real Madrid has a 24.67% chance. The supercomputer gives PSG a 58.84% chance of winning the semi-final against Real Madrid. Chelsea is given a 33.27% chance of winning the tournament.

The FIFA Club World Cup final is scheduled for July 13. Real Madrid won the FIFA Club World Cup in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2022.