On Friday evening, Spain faced Belgium in the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals. The match ended with Spain qualifying (2–1) for Tuesday’s semi-final against France (kick-off at 9 PM, CET). During the game, Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring with a fine strike. This goal from the 30-year-old midfielder allows Paris Saint-Germain to make even more history.
PSG already held the record for the most goalscorers from a single club at a World Cup—with eight players (based on club affiliation at the start of the tournament): Nuno Mendes, Gonçalo Ramos, João Neves, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Bradley Barcola, Achraf Hakimi, and Ibrahim Mbaye. Ruiz has now been added to that list.
This ninth player—two more than the records set by FC Barcelona (2018) and Bayern Munich (2014)—further vindicates coach Luis Enrique. He had outlined a key strategy following Kylian Mbappé’s departure for Real Madrid. While some predicted disaster given the high number of goals Mbappé typically scores, the Parisian coach had maintained that he preferred having multiple players capable of scoring around ten goals each.
PSG’s last two seasons had already amply vindicated the Spanish coach and dispelled doubts about his philosophy; this World Cup further confirms the validity of that approach. With several players accustomed to shouldering responsibility and creating scoring chances, the Parisian club has been a major source of goalscorers at the World Cup. It is a source of great pride.
