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Real Madrid and Al-Hilal have drawn 1-1 in Miami in the opening match of Group H at the 2025 Club World Cup.
Gonzalo Garcia scored the opening goal for the Spanish side before Ruben Neves equalized from the penalty spot in the first half. Madrid looked prime to steal a late victory after they were awarded a penalty of their own, but Yassine Bounou made a great save to deny Fede Valverde.
Xabi Alonso's first line-up in charge of Madrid saw Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen handed their team debuts, while star forward Kylian Mbappe missed out due to illness.
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Real Madrid 1 Al-Hilal 1: Alexander-Arnold’s debut, Bounou’s penalty heroics and a slow start for Alonso
We have a double serving of MLS teams in Club World Cup action tomorrow, but not before the other teams in Group A take centre stage.
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Two more matches coming today at the Club World Cup.
The first of those has just kicked off, with Pachuca and RB Salzburg facing off at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati.
Then, it is the turn of Juventus — fresh from their visit to the White House — to enter the tournament as they face Al-Ain in Washington, DC.
Interesting comments from goalscorer Gonzalo Garcia on the weather at this time of the day in Miami.
💬 “Not to make excuses, but it was very hot, the match was at an hour that we are not used to playing at. That also applies to our opponents, so it's no excuse. It would have been better to play at a different time.”
He then discussed being given the opportunity to lead the line for Real Madrid.
“I'm quite happy that he gives me the opportunity. It's something I've been looking for, as have a lot of players from the youth system. Today it worked well and I'm quite happy.”
Thibaut Courtois gave credit to goalkeeping counterpart Yassine Bounou after he kept out Valverde's stoppage-time penalty.
💬 “Fede has a very strong shot but he does not look at the keeper. Bounou moved early and could reach it. Bounou is good at penalties. It's a pity, but Fede can keep his head up, we just keep going.”
Courtois then discussed the debuts of Alexander-Arnold and Huijsen in defence.
“This was their first game together, and its not easy, obviously. I think they did well. And if there is something to correct, we will do it with the videos. They had good debuts and can keep going now.”
Thibaut Courtois is not a man who likes to make excuses after a disappointing result, and he was no different today when he spoke to DAZN after the match.
💬 “The first half we played too slowly, we were not able to find the rhythm of the game. They were much more dangerous. Then we scored, but gave away a pretty silly penalty and they could equalise.
“In the second half, we were able to fix a bit what we had to fix. We played much more quickly, much more agile. And we created danger, but it was not to be. It was pity that we missed the penalty, but if we can keep playing like in the second half it will help us in the next games.”
As he so often does in matches at FIFA tournaments, Yassine Bounou played a starring role today — he was asked after the match, on DAZN, about his vital late penalty save.
💬 “Honestly, I always say that penalties have a factor of intuition and fortune. Today, I got to save it. Other days, no. It is like that.”
And then more broadly on the performance, he said:
“In these competitions, like World Cups, it is important to be very intelligent. Today the team did great tactical work. We knew when to press and when not, when to sit deeper.
“The physical side cost us, Madrid too I believe, with the climate. But on a technical level, our kids matched what was needed. We are going with a draw, an important start to the competition.”
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Not necessarily the debut that Trent Alexander-Arnold will have hoped for, but a special day for him nonetheless — he spoke to DAZN after the match.
💬 “Incredible day, it's amazing to be able to debut for Real Madrid. It's something that I think almost every player dreams of, so to be able to achieve it is huge for me.
“Of course, there's some disappointment in there too, to have not won the game. It's the mentality you have to have as a Real Madrid player, to want and expect to win every game you play in.”
What a moment for Gonzalo Garcia in the first half as he scored his first goal for his boyhood club, but he was disappointed not to come away with all three points.
💬 “There’s a bittersweet taste as we wanted to begin with a win. But we fought to the end, we tried everything.
“(Al-Hilal) played well too, and the point should be positive going forward.”
A fairly evenly contested match, all things considered. Still for Real Madrid, coming away with just a draw after that second half will be a difficult pill to swallow. An underwhelming debut for Xabi Alonso as Real Madrid manager, though it's of course still very, very early for him.
Al-Hilal have ended Real Madrid's 11-match Club World Cup winning streak.
It's the first time the Spanish side have failed to win a match at the tournament since 2000.
If it was a spirited Al-Hilal performance, it was an underwhelming Real Madrid one.
Much of the game felt exactly like the kind of showing that led to the end of Carlo Ancelotti's time at the club. They were slow in possession, and even slower out of possession — perhaps expecting to make light work of this Al-Hilal side.
To their credit, Madrid improved significantly in the second half but they still didn't create too many clear-cut chances.
A few positives to take for Alonso, but lots of work to do for him and his staff this summer.
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Given the amount of investment into the Saudi Pro League over the last couple of years, the entire hierarchy of that league will have been desperate for Al-Hilal to properly compete against Real Madrid today.
And that is exactly what they did. They were the better team in the first half, but they tired in the second half and had to rely on their defence — and goalkeeper — to rebuff constant Real Madrid pressure.
A narrow defeat against one of the world's premier teams would have been acceptable, a draw is a brilliant outcome.
The difference between one point and three points for Real Madrid.
Plenty of room for improvement on Valverde's kick for sure, but credit to Bounou for reading it perfectly.
What is it with Yassine Bounou and FIFA tournaments?
Real Madrid controlled the majority of that second half, yet Bounou's incredible play in goal, highlighted by his save of Fede Valverde's penalty kick that would have surely won the match for Madrid.
As soon as the match was over, Xabi shook hands with his staff and went to the pitch to console Fede Valverde.
He also shook hands with almost all his players and the refereeing team.
FT Real Madrid 1-1 Al-Hilal
There will be no winning goal at Hard Rock Stadium as one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament is brought to an end.
Al-Hilal come away with a well-deserved point thanks, in large part, to Yassine Bounou.
It was his huge penalty save in the second minute of stoppage time that protected the point for his side who had worked so hard to earn it.
That one felt like a proper tournament game and a share of the spoils feels a fair outcome.
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90+6' Real Madrid 1-1 Al-Hilal
Wow, this feels new.
Bounou, clearly keen to run the clock down, was punished by the referee for taking longer than eight seconds to release the ball.
Real Madrid were awarded a corner as a result, but Tchouameni headed over from the set piece.
90+4' Real Madrid 1-1 Al-Hilal
I imagine more than a few Madrid fans are getting bad flashbacks to the 2022 World Cup Spain v. Morocco match with Bono's second-half performance today.
90+3' Real Madrid 1-1 Al-Hilal
Valverde and penalties… he didn't dare to shoot in the mythical shootout against Manchester City in the 2024 Champions League, but that summer he made amends with Uruguay in the Copa America and also scored in this Champions League against Atletico.
Today he missed while the stadium was calling for Modric to shoot.
