Real Madrid CF vs Al Hilal
He looks good in white. But it wasn’t the debut Trent or the rest of Los Blancos would’ve hoped for at the Club World Cup. Successful hate watch for Liverpool fans everywhere? Probably. Still, what a pleasure to catch Real Madrid playing for actual silverware. Something not many of us would get to experience otherwise. Even thousands of miles away from Madrid, the feeling that you’re in the presence of royalty doesn’t go away. They may have failed to get all three points in Xabi Alonso’s first outing as coach, but they’ll be alright. How many times have people counted them out and they’ve gone on to win the most improbable trophies? We’re not falling for it again. After all, stars shine brightest when things get dark, and they’ve got plenty in their ranks. Made selecting our ten favorite shots from the day a near impossible task.
Photography by: Peter Bonilla
Real Madrid’s debut under Xabi Alonso fell short of expectations as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal in their opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ on Wednesday. In searing heat at Hard Rock Stadium, both teams showcased moments of brilliance, but it was Al Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou’s last-minute penalty save that stole the headlines.
Gonzalo García, stepping in for an ill Kylian Mbappé, opened the scoring for Madrid with a composed finish in the 34th minute. However, Al Hilal responded before halftime through a Rúben Neves penalty, leaving the Spanish giants to rue missed opportunities.
In his first start for Madrid, García looked sharp. The 21-year-old Castilla product capped off a slick team move with a clever lob over Bounou, rewarding Madrid for a brief period of control after a challenging start. "It’s special to score in my first start," García said post-match. "I hope to keep contributing to this team."
Madrid’s debutants Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen also showed flashes of promise, though the defense struggled to contain Al Hilal’s dynamic attack, particularly through Salem Al-Dawsari and Marcos Leonardo.
Al Hilal, under new coach Simone Inzaghi, displayed resilience and tactical discipline. Their equalizer came after Raul Asencio’s foul on Leonardo inside the box, allowing Neves to calmly slot home from the spot. The Saudi side nearly took the lead moments later when Al-Dawsari fired narrowly wide.
Bounou, who later became the match hero, reflected on the performance: “Against a team like Madrid, you need full focus. Saving that penalty was just doing my job.”
Madrid dominated possession in the second half and came close to regaining the lead. Substitute Arda Güler rattled the crossbar moments after the restart, and García saw a sharp effort denied by Bounou. However, their final chance slipped away in stoppage time. VAR awarded Madrid a penalty for a foul on Fran García, but Federico Valverde’s low shot was brilliantly saved by Bounou.
"It’s a mixed bag of feelings," Alonso admitted. "The first half wasn’t great, but we improved after the break. We controlled the game better but missed the chance to seal the win."
The result leaves Group H wide open. Madrid will face Mexican side Pachuca on Sunday, while Al Hilal take on RB Salzburg in what could be a decisive clash for progression.
For Madrid, there’s work to do. While Alonso’s tenure began with glimpses of his philosophy, this match underscored the challenges ahead for the 15-time European champions in a competition where every team arrives hungry to upset the established order.
