Real Madrid claimed the inaugural FIFA-backed Intercontinental Cup with a dominant 3-0 victory over Pachuca in Doha on Wednesday.
Goals from Kylian Mbappe, Rodrygo, and Vinicius Junior secured the win, adding another trophy to the Spanish giant’s illustrious history.
Mbappe, returning from a hamstring injury, opened the scoring in the 37th minute after brilliant play from Vinicius Junior.
Rodrygo doubled Madrid’s lead with a curling strike early in the second half, and Vinicius sealed the win with a penalty six minutes from time following a VAR review.
The victory marked Carlo Ancelotti’s 15th title as Real Madrid coach, making him the most successful manager in the club’s history, surpassing Miguel Munoz. “It’s a nice moment. It’s an honor for me.
Madrid are the club everybody wants to coach because they’re the best in the world,” Ancelotti said.
The match highlighted Madrid’s resilience following recent challenges, including a tough run in La Liga and Europe.
Ancelotti expressed optimism for 2025, saying, “We’ve grown a lot, and that gives us confidence for 2025.”
The Intercontinental Cup, which retains the format of the former Club World Cup, is set to expand to 32 teams in 2025.
Real Madrid, historically dominant in international competitions, now have eight combined titles from the Intercontinental and Club World Cups.
Madrid will wrap up 2024 with a La Liga clash against Sevilla on Sunday before heading to Saudi Arabia in January for the Spanish Super Cup.