Real Madrid will end the year on top of the world after comfortably beating Pachuca to win the Intercontinental Cup.
Goals from Kylian Mbappe, Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior secured the second title of the season for Los Blancos in the new format of the competition that pits the club champions of FIFA’s six federations against each other.
Real Madrid, who host Sevilla in La Liga on Sunday, will close out 2024 with five out of a possible six titles. “At the very least, we are going to fight to keep winning,” said president Florentino Perez, who already has seen 65 titles won between his club’s football and basketball sections during his tenure.
But in Wednesday’s 3-0 win over Pachuca at Lusail Stadium in Doha, Qatar, the main protagonists were on the pitch: the aforementioned Mbappe and Vinicius, and on the bench, a historic Carlo Ancelotti.
Vinicius Junior: simply ‘The Best’
Just 24 hours after being named as 2024 men’s player of the year at the FIFA Best awards, Vinicius Jr showed why he is considered the best player in the world.
He was fouled the first time he got on the ball, a sign that Pachuca knew they would have to try to stop him constantly, but in the 37th minute, they were too late, as is often the case when Vinicius is inspired.
Jude Bellingham linked up with him in the box, where the Brazilian was more Brazilian than ever with a spectacular dribble past the keeper and then, instead of trying to score, Vinicius Jr ‘gifted’ the opening goal to Mbappe, cutting the ball back for his team-mate to fire into an empty goal.
“I don’t know if I could shoot or not, but there was Kylian alone…” he explained later.
As for the first goal in the first match and first final of the season – to Fede Valverde in the European Super Cup in August – Vinicius again provided the key pass to open the scoring.
But he wanted more and, aside from some great flashes, particularly when he dovetailed with Bellingham in the second half, he got it with his goal.
It was from the penalty spot, from which Vinicius Jr has yet to miss in a Real Madrid shirt (he has scored seven in official matches) despite the fact that until Karim Benzema’s departure in 2023, spot kicks were not his speciality.
By scoring to round off Real Madrid’s 3-0 victory, he also achieved an impressive statistic: Vinicius Jr has also been involved in 14 goals in 12 finals in a white shirt.
And what’s more, Vinicius has won 14 titles with Real Madrid since joining the club in 2018, more than rivals Barcelona and Atletico de Madrid combined in the same period.
Mbappe heals some of his World Cup wounds
Mbappe returned to Lusail Stadium just two years after what many consider to be the greatest World Cup final ever. On 18 December, 2022, Argentina became World champions by winning a penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw with France, with a heroic Mbappe scoring a hat-trick for the losing side.
Wednesday’s Mbappe was not the Mbappe of two years ago, but his performance was enough for the 25-year-old to go home with his second title as a Madrid player after being decisive.
As in the European Super Cup, he also scored in Doha, taking his tally to eight goals in his last seven finals for club and country.
Mbappe opened the scoring, assisted by Vinicius. After pushing the ball into the net, he went over to the Brazilian to thank him, and then both did the same with Bellingham, who had a key role in the play.
The Englishman made some gestures at Mbappe during the game to get him to press more, one of the things coaching staff and team-mates have been missing from him.
But after missing the Rayo Vallecano match due to injury, Mbappe achieved his third consecutive game in a row scoring. The club had planned for his return in 10 days and even questioned him travelling to Qatar, but sources at Valdebebas, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, quickly downplayed the seriousness of the problem in talks with The Athletic.
This was a match wanted to be in, and so he made his mark because he was in the starting XI and in his 61 minutes on the pitch, Mbappe first scored and later assisted later to Rodrygo for his spectacular strike from the edge of the area.
With the game against Sevilla to come, Mbappe is approaching the end of the year with 13 goals and two assists in 23 appearances for Real Madrid. His numbers are still below expectations but, as he finds his best level, he is adding to his tally collectively with these two trophies, as well as individually.
Ancelotti wins a record 15th title
Like Vinicius, just 24 hours after being named the best in the world, Ancelotti lived up to his status.
This Intercontinental Cup is his 15th title with Real Madrid, surpassing dugout legend Miguel Muñoz’s tally of 14. Ancelotti averages a trophy every 21.06 games.
And it all started by chance, as he himself recalled yesterday in the press room when asked if he expected to experience such success back when he took charge of the club in June 2021.
“I didn’t imagine it because the days before, I never thought I could come back,” he said. “I called (Real Madrid) just to see if I could find a signing (for Everton). I threw it out there and they fell for it (laughs).”
So the noise that has been surrounding — more externally than internally — Ancelotti’s future in recent months has died down, at least for a while.
The dressing room, moreover, is with him.
“Congratulations; he deserves it,” Vinicius acknowledged after Wednesday’s victory. “He gives us freedom, he makes everything perfect for us,” added Lucas Vazquez, Real Madrid’s captain in Qatar.
(Top photo: Mohamed Farag – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
