Paris Saint-Germain booked their spot in the FIFA Club World Cup final on Wednesday afternoon, beating Real Madrid 4-0 in a one-sided semi-final.

Les Parisiens have been the dominant force on the European scene over the past year and look set to extend that influence across the world with Sunday's final drawing nearer.

Conference League winners Chelsea are the opponents at the MetLife Stadium for the Champions League holders this weekend, with the Premier League side looking to upset the odds in New Jersey.

You would find it difficult to find a supporter or pundit who gives Enzo Maresca's side a serious chance of victory in the final, with PSG having shown little signs of weakness in recent times as they display their intimidating best

After batting away the futile efforts of Real Madrid with ease on Wednesday, Sports Mole asks whether football could be witnessing the start of a generational era in the French capital.

THE EYE TEST

A phenomenon largely blamed on the influence of Pep Guardiola's coaching genius over the past decade, most teams at the summit of the European game are chasing complete control of matches, which - for the most part - translates to hoarding possession of the ball.

As a result, there is a growing risk aversion in tactics at the top level, and it has increasingly felt that a side must sacrifice a level of attacking excitement and flair in order to dominate games with a robotic and monotonous approach, often to the frustration of onlookers, especially general football fans.

Then comes PSG, who have already begun to disprove that school of thought. Luis Enrique's troops have shown exceptional control in a host of big matches over the past year - the latest example arriving against Real Madrid on Wednesday - without boring the crowd to death.

Les Parisiens are not afraid to bide their time in defence momentarily to allow players further forward to get into the right positions, but every backwards and sideways pass carries a purpose, before which spectators are given the pleasure of watching the French champions unlock an opposition's defensive structure time and time again.

BIG GAME MENTALITY

No matter how impressive they are on the eye over the next five years, fans of the future will quickly dismiss the idea of PSG being a generational side if they fail to write an extensive list of major honours into the history books with their current crop.

Fairly or not, due to question marks over the strength of the domestic game in France, Les Parisiens need to bag a few more Champions League trophies in quick succession to have genuine hope of going down as one of the best sides in the modern era, and we feel that they have the characteristics to do so.

PSG have shown on many occasions already their ability to handle the big matches and come out on top in sensational style, smashing Inter Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final before handing Real Madrid a severe beating in the Club World Cup semi-final earlier this week. 

Not only will Enrique's troops need to consistently arrive at the latter stages of UEFA's top-tier competition, but they must also attend these games with the steeliness and nerve to get over the line, or else future generations will scoff at the suggestion of this group's elite status.

TEAM OVER INDIVIDUALS

In the early part of this decade, PSG attempted to plot a route to European glory by building a solid base which could facilitate the attacking brilliance of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, who had the luxury of largely neglecting defensive duties.

Since arriving at Parc des Princes in 2023, Enrique has successfully flipped the narrative of how the players of Les Parisiens are perceived, from a bunch of individuals to a well-oiled and eye-catching machine - albeit with world-class parts at its core.

Although the performances of Ousmane Dembele been highlighted for all the right reasons this season, PSG are not dependent on a single player to come up with a moment of magic, making them less prone to defeat by a mid-season injury crisis in the coming years.

Widely regarded as the best team in European football so far during the 2020s, Real Madrid have relied on the talents of Vinicius Jr and Karim Benemza to fire them to major honours, whereas Les Parisiens are on a more sustainable, collective path, one which could lead them to prolonged success.

TIME ON THEIR SIDE

With Real Madrid's influence on the European stage beginning to wane and Manchester City's ageing squad undergoing a period of transition in the hands of Pep Guardiola, there is a gap in the market for PSG to become the dominant team of at least the next five years.

Whilst the Citizens aim to lower the age profile of their squad, Les Parisiens have no such issue to address, with eight of their 11 starters from the semi-final humiliation of Real Madrid being either 25 or younger, while only captain Marquinhos (31) could be labelled as a veteran.

With the large majority of their squad heading into the prime years of their careers, PSG have the potential to earn a generational run of Ligue 1 and Champions League trophies before the end of the decade, given that they can keep hold of their best players.

Enrique's nine-man bench at the Metlife Stadium on Wednesday afternoon was extremely youthful, with Bradley Barcola (22), Goncalo Ramos (24) and Warren Zaire-Emery (19) all tipped for bright futures at Parc des Princes with the European holders.

Written by
Carter White