Ancelotti's men win their eighth world title in a crazy match where eight goals were scored.

Real Madrid, World Champions once again at Rabat's goal fest

photo_camera AP Photo/Manu Fernandez - Real Madrid players celebrate with the trophy after winning the FIFA Club World Cup final match against Al Hilal at the Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium in Rabat, Morocco, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. Real Madrid beat Al Hilal 5-3.

Nearly 45,000 people at the Moulay Abdallah stadium in Rabat witnessed Real Madrid lift their eighth World Cup title. It is the club with the highest total in this new format and a financial injection of almost five million euros.

It is the title that is not celebrated too much when it is won, but generates uncertainty if it is lost. In this case, the Whites preferred to use the FIFA tournament to get ready for the intense weeks that lie ahead between the league, Champions League and Cup against Barcelona.

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Ancelotti's line-up was one of gratitude to the players who won the 14th in Paris last May 2022. Carvajal, Modric, Kross and Vinicius started alongside Benzema, who arrived from Madrid alongside Courtois and Militao just to lift the trophy.

There were not many conclusions to be drawn from Real Madrid's play. It was more positive to see Valverde score two goals and put Ancelotti's coaching card on the line. Joking aside, the fact that the Uruguayan's personal life has been sorted out has improved his game.

Vinicius played calmly, with no deserving players to provoke him, no enemies to defend against. That makes him the most unbalanced player in Europe, the one who can reign in football if he has a good team behind him. Even better than Benzema, who scored a goal off a pass from Rodrygo and who is only expected for the big games.

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Ceballos and Asensio had their minutes with the game already broken, but always in Real Madrid's favour. Minutes of quality that will help them not to leave Ancelotti with a wheel of alternatives when the calendar tightens and injuries arrive.

In front, Al-Hilal with a lot to do in their league against Cristiano Ronaldo's team, but it was not enough to hurt Real Madrid. Marega and Vietto provided the quality in a team that defended deep in their own area.

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They had traces of good football, interesting ball outlets, worked team counter-attacks, but they didn't control the defensive system and the white hit sunk them time and time again.

Real Madrid crowned last season with the Club World Cup and closed that time of miracles and comebacks that will take decades to repeat with the same script.

Eighth world trophy for Real Madrid, fifth for Ancelotti and with most of the players in the team among those who have lifted the most titles of this type. Something that shows the impact that Madrid has outside our borders.

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The fans had a great time and turned their mobile phone screens blank during the match in a gesture that made the game even more colourful. Fireworks and a beautiful trophy presentation brought to a close a Club World Cup that left Flamengo third after beating Al Ahly 2-4 in the consolation final.

Stranger was the sight of Infantino handing out cups. The guy who was once in charge of taking the balls out of UEFA tournaments is now a man who wears a suit and flashy white Adidas trainers, lives in Qatar and has his photo taken with referees as if he were one of them.

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