Atlético de Madrid eliminated despite victory over Botafogo, Simeone praises Renato Paiva’s “work, honesty and courage”
Atlético Madrid defeated Botafogo 1-0 in their final Group B match at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, but it wasn’t enough to send Diego Simeone’s side through to the next round. Despite the victory, results elsewhere meant the Spanish giants crashed out, and it was the Brazilian underdogs who advanced.
Griezmann Ends Drought, But Atlético Falls Short
The lone goal came late in the 87th minute when Antoine Griezmann finally broke his 18-match scoring drought with a precise finish from a Julián Álvarez cross. Atlético controlled much of the second half and pressed high, but the scoreline was not enough to secure qualification.
Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain’s 2-0 win over Seattle Sounders sealed Atlético’s fate, as PSG and Botafogo advanced on goal difference.
Simeone: “Proud of My Players, Congratulations to Botafogo”
In his post-match interview with DAZN, Diego Simeone expressed disappointment but was full of praise for both his squad and Botafogo’s head coach, Renato Paiva:
“We gave absolutely everything. I’m proud of the work the boys did,” Simeone said. “Winning two out of three matches usually puts you through, but this time it didn’t.”
He reserved special recognition for Botafogo:
“They played with hard work, honesty, and courage. They defended as they should. When you defend and attack well, you deserve to advance. Congratulations to them they were intelligent and resilient.”
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Simeone Questions Refereeing Decisions Again
The Atlético boss also voiced frustration over refereeing, especially in relation to a denied penalty and a controversial VAR review during the match:
“In the game against PSG, every decision went against us. Today, we had a penalty that was ignored after the referee reviewed a previous phase. It’s always the same. But we have to improve. That’s football.”
Griezmann and Oblak React
Griezmann, who finally found the net after a long dry spell, was introspective after the elimination:
“We didn’t handle the pressure well. One bad game in a short tournament like this, and you pay the price. We weren’t at our best, and that’s on us.”
Goalkeeper Jan Oblak echoed the disappointment, especially over missed opportunities in the first half:
“We’re sad. We needed to score early to control the second half. The effort was there, but the ball just didn’t go in.”
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