Real Madrid claim inaugural Intercontinental Cup with 3-0 win over Pachuca

LUSAIL, QATAR: Real Madrid, under the guidance of Carlo Ancelotti, secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Pachuca in the Intercontinental Cup final at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, on Wednesday. Goals from Kylian Mbappé, Rodrygo, and Vinícius Júnior highlighted a dominant performance by the Spanish and European champions.

Kylian Mbappé marked his return from injury with the opening goal in the 37th minute. The French forward, sidelined last weekend with a hamstring issue, capitalized on a brilliant assist from Vinícius Júnior, who had just been crowned FIFA Best Men’s Player of the Year.

Rodrygo extended Madrid’s lead early in the second half with a curling strike from the edge of the area. Despite initial concerns about Jude Bellingham being offside and obstructing the goalkeeper’s view, the goal stood after a VAR review.

Vinícius Júnior rounded off the victory with a late penalty, awarded after Lucas Vázquez was fouled in the Pachuca box.

This match marked the culmination of the first edition of FIFA’s revamped Intercontinental Cup, which maintains the traditional format of the previous Club World Cup, ahead of the expanded 32-team version in 2025.

Real Madrid will next face Pachuca at the 2025 Club World Cup in the United States, alongside teams like Al Hilal and Red Bull Salzburg. Domestically, Madrid will wrap up the year with a La Liga clash against Sevilla on Sunday.

(Source: AFP)