LUSAIL: Real Madrid are the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024champions after beating Pachuca 3-0 in Wednesday’s final.
Kylian Mbappe, Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr were on target Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who rounded off a superb year in style at Lusail Stadium.
Exactly two years after scoring a hat-trick at the same venue in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022final, Mbappe applied the finishing touch to an incisive team move to put Madrid in front. Jude Bellingham played in Vinicius Jr, who produced some dazzling footwork to take the ball around Pachuca goalkeeper Carlos Moreno, before squaring for the Frenchman to slot into an empty net.
Pachuca had, in fact, started the game brightly and Luis Rodriguez fired an early warning shot, but Thibaut Courtois was equal to his powerful drive.
Madrid, however, gradually started to stamp their authority on the game and, after Mbappe put them ahead, the striker almost made it 2-0 when he rifled a 20-yard shot just past the post.
Madrid would double their advantage just after half-time, with Rodrygo curling home wonderful effort from the edge of the area. There was a VAR review as Bellingham was standing in an offside position when Rodrygo took aim, but the referee judged he was not interfering.
Pachuca, to their credit, refused to buckle and captain Salomon Rondon saw a sweetly struck free-kick well saved by Courtois. The veteran striker then went even closer to reducing the deficit when his header went inches over the bar.
Madrid, however, put the game beyond doubt late in the piece. Vinicius – fresh from being named The Best FIFA Men’s Player on Tuesday night – converted an 84th-minute penalty to crown a dream trip to Qatar for the Brazilian.
