Real Madrid secured their place in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 with a convincing 3-0 victory over Red Bull Salzburg. The match, played at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, saw Vinicius Jr. shine with a goal and an assist, leading the Spanish giants to a dominant win.
The revamped Club World Cup, featuring 32 teams for the first time, is being held in the United States from June 14 to July 13, 2025. The tournament features a group stage with eight groups of four teams, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stage. Real Madrid, who qualified for the tournament based on their Champions League performance over the past four years, despite not winning the most recent title, finished atop Group H with seven points.
Under steady rain, Real Madrid, managed by Xabi Alonso, controlled the game against a Salzburg side that struggled to create clear-cut chances. Salzburg's 18-year-old goalkeeper, Christian Zawieschitzky, initially kept his team in the game with a sharp save to deny Vinicius an early goal. However, Madrid's persistence paid off in the 40th minute when Jude Bellingham delivered a perfectly weighted pass to Vinicius. The Brazilian forward skillfully evaded two defenders and fired a left-footed shot from the edge of the box into the bottom corner, giving Zawieschitzky no chance.
Vinicius continued to be a menace to the Salzburg defense and, in added time of the first half, played a crucial role in Real Madrid's second goal. After picking up a loose ball in the box, he delivered a clever back-heeled pass to Federico Valverde, who calmly slotted the ball home from close range, making it 2-0.
Real Madrid maintained their dominance in the second half, although they missed several opportunities to extend their lead. In the 60th minute, Antonio Rüdiger appeared to suffer a hamstring injury. He was later subbed out. The third goal finally arrived in the 84th minute when substitute Gonzalo Garcia sealed the victory with a chip shot over the Salzburg goalkeeper, following a counterattack he initiated himself.
With the win secured, Real Madrid advances to the round of 16 where they will face Juventus. Meanwhile, Al-Hilal will take on Manchester City. The format of the tournament mirrors that of the FIFA World Cup, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stages. The final is scheduled to be held on July 13 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The expanded Club World Cup features teams from all six international confederations: AFC (Asia), CAF (Africa), CONCACAF (North and Central America, and the Caribbean), CONMEBOL (South America), OFC (Oceania), and UEFA (Europe). The tournament offers a substantial prize pool of $1 billion USD, adding further incentive to the competing clubs.
