Real Madrid secured their first Intercontinental Cup title with a dominant 3-0 victory over Mexican club Pachuca in the final held in Doha on Wednesday.
Goals from Kylian Mbappé, Rodrygo, and Vinícius Júnior highlighted the Spanish giants’ superiority in a match that further cemented their status as global football heavyweights.
Mbappé, returning from a brief injury absence, opened the scoring in the 37th minute after an exquisite setup by Vinícius. Rodrygo extended the lead early in the second half with a curling strike, albeit amidst VAR controversy, as Jude Bellingham appeared to obstruct the goalkeeper’s view while in an offside position.
Vinícius, fresh off his FIFA Best Men’s Player of the Year accolade, added a late penalty to seal the win following a VAR-confirmed foul on Lucas Vázquez in the Pachuca box.
The match marked the inaugural edition of the FIFA-backed Intercontinental Cup, which replaces the previous Club World Cup format. The latter will return in 2025 with 32 teams and will now be held quadrennially.
Real Madrid’s comprehensive performance signals their readiness for upcoming challenges, including a rematch with Pachuca at next year’s Club World Cup in the United States. They are also set to face formidable opponents like Al Hilal and Red Bull Salzburg in the same competition.
Real Madrid will now shift focus to their final LaLiga game of the year against Sevilla on Sunday before traveling to Saudi Arabia in January for the Spanish Super Cup.
