Real Madrid’s dominant performance in the Club World Cup final on Saturday night vs Saudi side, Al-Hilal, secured them their fifth title since the competition changed from the Intercontinental Cup. Real Madrid has 8 titles if Club World Cups and Intercontinental Cups are combined, most by any club.
The last year’s European champions dominated the game from the start, taking an early 2-0 lead with goals from Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde.
Despite a late push from Al Hilal, Real Madrid held strong and secured the win with a confident finish from Vinicius Junior and a thumping goal from the returning Karim Benzema.
This victory marks the first title of the 22/23 season for Real Madrid, and sets them on course for a potential treble in 2023.
Toni Kroos has become the player with the most Club World Cup trophies, having won six titles – five with Real Madrid and one with Bayern Munich.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti also had a successful night, as the win marked his ninth title with Real Madrid, the most he has won with any club. Ancelotti has won eight titles with Milan and three with Chelsea and PSG.
Karim Benzema and Luka Modric also won their fifth Club World Cup title with Real Madrid, solidifying their place as some of the most successful players in the competition’s history.
The Club World Cup 2022 (or 2023) is 32nd career trophy for Karim Benzema as he becomes the most decorated French player in football history.
Real Madrid’s young stars Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde each scored a double to secure the win for Carlo Ancelotti’s side and lead them to become World Champions. The final score was 5-3 in favor of Real Madrid.
This victory marks another successful chapter in the illustrious history of Real Madrid and solidifies their position as one of the top teams in world football. The win in CWC sees the European giant win their 100th title overall.
One of the standout performances of the match came from midfielder Toni Kroos as he clinched his record-breaking sixth Club World Cup title. Kroos completed 86 out of 92 passes with a 93% passing accuracy and helped secure the win for his team.
When asked about his future with the club, Kroos stated,
“There is no decision. I’m thinking about what I’ll do next season. I am always in contact with the club. I have been in football for 15 years. My experience tells me that it is best to discuss things internally. If there is something official, you will certainly find out. It will not be long before a decision is made. At the moment there is no decision, but we are relaxed, because neither side will do anything stupid. I am very calm.”
It is worth noting that Toni Kroos is among key players at Real Madrid whose contract with club expires at the end of the this season.
