Real Madrid have been crowned the winners of the FIFA Club World Cup for a historic fifth time after beating Al Hilal in Saturday's final in Rabat. The Spanish giants put five goals past their Saudi Arabian counterparts in an epic eight-goal thriller to earn another piece of history in the competition.
The high-scoring encounter began with Vinicius Jr and Federico Valverde put the current UEFA Champions League title holders 2-0 up inside the first 18 minutes. Former FC Porto striker Moussa Marega then reduced the deficit to just one goal before the half-time break.
The moment Real Madrid C.F. became five-time #ClubWC Champions
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) February 11, 2023
Karim Benzema, who missed the 4-1 semi-final win over Al Ahly of Egypt, got on the scoresheet in the 54th minute when Vinicius Jr returned the favor he received for his first goal with an assist. Federico Valverde got his second of the night just four minutes after before Vinicius made it five in the 69th minute. In-between the last two Real Madrid goals, Luciano Vietto scored Al Hilal's second goal of the night before adding another in the 79th minute.
The win inside the Abdellah Moulay Sports Complex saw Carlo Ancelotti's Real add to their four cups from 2014 to 2018. The Italian manager, who won the trophy in 2007 with AC Milan and with the Merengues in 2014 and 2022, joined Pep Guardiola as the most successful coaches in the history of the competition.
In hindsight, it is the eighth time that Real Madrid have been crowned as world champions. Before the competition was renamed the FIFA Club World Cup, the European giants won it three times, making them the most successful club in its history.
