Alexander-Arnold Debut & Al-Hilal’s Club World Cup Statement | 2025
Real Madrid stumbled in their Club World Cup opener, drawing 1-1 with Al-Hilal, despite high expectations and a promising debut start by Gonzalo García. Xabi Alonso’s squad grappled with Al-Hilal’s resilience, enduring the Miami heat. Alexander-Arnold was subbed out in the 65th. García’s early goal was countered by a penalty from Neves. Valverde’s missed penalty sealed the draw. News Directory 3 provides more in-depth analysis. Discover what’s next …
Real Madrid, Al-Hilal Draw in Club World Cup Opener
Miami – Real Madrid’s Club World Cup campaign began with a 1-1 draw against Al-Hilal in a Group H match played in sweltering Miami conditions. Despite dominating possession, Real Madrid failed to secure a win, with Federico Valverde missing a late penalty.
Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid’s coach, had promised an energetic performance, but the team struggled against a resilient Al-Hilal side. The match, played in front of a largely pro-Madrid crowd of 60,000 at Hard Rock stadium, saw both teams create scoring opportunities.
Al-Hilal nearly took an early lead, with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic forcing a save from Thibaut Courtois. Marcos Leonardo also missed a key chance for the Saudi Arabian team. Vinícius Junior received a yellow card for a foul.
Gonzalo García,making his debut for Real Madrid,scored in the 34th minute after a counterattack,assisted by Vinícius and Rodrygo. However, Al-Hilal equalized before halftime through a Rúben Neves penalty, awarded after Raul Asencio fouled Leonardo.
In the second half, arda Guler replaced Asencio for real madrid. Guler almost scored instantly, hitting the crossbar. Al-Hilal’s goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou, then made a close-range save to deny García a second goal.
As the game wore on,the high temperatures and humidity took their toll. Lucas Vázquez replaced Alexander-Arnold in the 65th minute after a promising debut. Leonardo missed another chance for Al-Hilal, shooting over the bar.
Late in the game, Real Madrid was awarded a penalty after a VAR review, but Valverde’s attempt was saved, sealing the 1-1 draw in the Club World Cup.