Real Madrid will have to make room in their trophy cabinet, an occupation they are used to. The club claimed their fifth Club World Cup crown on Saturday by beating Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal 5-3 after a spectacular final in Rabat. It is above all the hundredth title in its history, according to the count of the “White House”.
With Karim Benzema back from injury and holder, the people of Madrid dominated from the start with two quick goals signed Vinicius (13th), at the end of a three-man game, and Fede Valverde (19th), at the fallout of a ball poorly cleared by the Saudi defense. Then they scared each other a little, with the reduction of the gap half an hour into the game by Moussa Marega, launched against in depth (26th). But Benzema put his people back in the right direction on the return from the locker room (54th), at the conclusion of a cross from the outside of the right foot of Vinicius, then Fede Valverde sealed the merengue success after a double one-two with Dani Carvajal (58th).
“KB9” very close to a huge record
Luciano Vietto’s two goals at the end of the match (63rd, 79th), quickly extinguished by Vinicius’ goal for his double (69th), did not change the fate of the match. A watch all the same for Carlo Ancelotti, the possible injury of Aurélien Tchouaméni, visibly touched in the left ankle and released at the same time as Benzema (62nd).
“KB9”, he won his 24th trophy in the merengue jersey, one length behind the legend Marcelo, record holder for the number of trophies at the “White House”.
3rd place for Flamengo
Al Hilal, surprise winners of Flamengo in the semi-finals, did not surprise until the end, and the Club World title fell once again to the European champions for the 10th consecutive year . The adventure is great all the same for the surprise finalist, with his players who had already caused a sensation at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in November, including winger Salem al-Dawsari, nicknamed “the tornado”, author of the goal of the exploit against Argentina (2-1) in Doha, but remained silent on Saturday in Rabat.
Note that earlier in the evening, the Brazilian club Flamengo offered third place by defeating Al-Ahly 4-2 in the small final. After the premature penalty from Gabriel Barbosa (11th), Ahmed Abdelkader replied before the break (38th). But a red card inflicted on Khalid Abdullfatah (69th) and a missed penalty by Ali Maaloul (58th) weighed on the Egyptians: the second goal signed Abdelkader was not enough to contain the Brazilians, who sealed their success at the end of the match thanks to three goals signed Pedro (77th and 90th + 1), and Gabriel Barbosa, still on penalty, in the 85th.