Real Madrid have been crowned world champions for the ninth time in their history. The team got their hands on the trophy once again, beating Mexican outfit Pachuca 3-0 at the Lusail Stadium (Qatar). The victory also makes Ancelotti the most decorated coach ever to sit in our club’s dugout, and the Italian saw his boys go ahead with 37 minutes played, Mbappé getting on the scoresheet from Vini Jr.’s fine assist. Rodrygo struck Real Madrid’s second with a beautiful right-footed effort from the edge of the box, leaving it to “The Best” Vini Jr. to put the icing on the cake from the penalty spot with 84 minutes on the clock. The trophy is Madrid’s second of the season so far, following the European Super Cup.

Our team quickly saw they’d be up against opposition who looked to press high and defend in packs in their attempts to win the ball back. They tested Courtois on two occasions early on, with Luis Rodríguez’s long-range strike on 7′ and a cross-shot by Idrissi on 11’, but our goalkeeper was more than equal to both attempts. Halfway through the first half, Ancelotti’s team began to assert their dominance and push the Mexicans back, consistently finding themselves in dangerous areas. Then, with 37 minutes gone, Mbappé broke the deadlock to put the European champions in front. Bellingham’s gorgeous through ball found Vini Jr., who bewitched the opposition goalkeeper with a quick stepover, before setting up the Frenchman to turn into the empty net.

Rodrygo nets a beauty 
This marks the third game in a row that Mbappé has written his name on the scoresheet, following goals against Atalanta and Girona. The Frenchman could have completed his brace almost straight from the restart, as Pachuca turned the ball over from kick-off and his long shot whistled narrowly wide of the target. Half-time came around with the score at 1-0, but it would only take our team eight minutes of the second period to double their advantage. Rodrygo picked the ball up on the edge of the box and cut away from two defenders to make just enough space to curl a beautiful right-footed effort past the helpless Carlos Moreno. There was a moment of tension before the goal was awarded, as the referee turned to the monitor to see whether Bellingham had obstructed the goalkeeper’s view – the goal stood in the end and at 2-0, the game looked on steady footing for Ancelotti’s boys.

From that point on, though, it became a more frenetic affair. Rondón could have cut the deficit from a free-kick but Courtois did superbly to keep him out with 67 minutes played. The forward then saw his powerful header fly over the crossbar four minutes later, before Real Madrid responded on 74’. Bellingham linked up with Vini Jr., inside the box, the Brazilian going one-on-one with Carlos Moreno, but the Pachuca shot-stopper was quick enough to send the ball behind for a corner. The Brazilian wasn’t to be denied, and his competition MVP was secured on 85′ when he stepped up to convert a penalty after Idrissi had brought down Lucas Vázquez in the box. Again, the referee headed to the monitor, before pointing to the spot. Our team saw the game out calmly in the final few minutes, clinching victory and a clean sheet.