⚽ Real Madrid 1–1 Al Hilal – Xabi Alonso’s Debut in Club World Cup Opens With Draw
🗓️ Match Overview
Competition: FIFA Club World Cup 2025 – Group H
Date: June 18, 2025
Venue: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Final Score: Real Madrid 1–1 Al Hilal
Goal Scorers:
Real Madrid: Gonzalo García (34′)
Al Hilal: Rúben Neves (41′ penalty)
🧠 Tactical Line-up – Alonso’s First XI
In his first competitive match at the helm, Xabi Alonso deployed a 4‑3‑3 that shifted into a 3‑2‑4‑1 in attack—an expression of his tactical identity, blending pressing, width, and fluidity:
Formation & Key Names:
GK: Thibaut Courtois
RB: Trent Alexander‑Arnold (debut) welt.de+15talksport.com+15cadenaser.com+15foxsports.com.aucadenaser.com+12espn.com+12ctpost.com+12welt.desi.com+1cadenaser.com+1
CBs: Raúl Asencio, Dean Huijsen
LB: Fran García
Midfield Trio: Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni
Attackers: Rodrygo, Gonzalo García (starting for Mbappé), Vinícius Jr.
Alonso’s plan: control the midfield, press high, build through the wings, and unleash pace in transition.
⏱️ First Half – Madrid Leads but Loses Concentration
Real Madrid started strongly, controlling possession and pushing Al Hilal back. Pressing midfields disrupted their build-up play. In the 34th minute, Rodrygo threaded a pass to Gonzalo García, who coolly slotted home — a composed introduction to first-team football foxsports.com.au+7si.com+7espn.com+7.
However, Al Hilal fought back. In the 41st minute, Valverde was clipped inside the box after losing the ball, leading to a VAR-awarded penalty. Rúben Neves struck it home — calm, clinical, and equalised the match before halftime .
Half-Time Score: 1–1.
🔁 Second Half – Missed Opportunities & a Crucial Save
Alonso maintained his starting eleven into the second half. Madrid dominated possession (~66%) but struggled to break Al Hilal’s organised defence. Key moments included:
Arda Güler, introduced at halftime, struck the crossbar with a vicious shot elpais.com+15welt.de+15talksport.com+15.
Rodrygo and Vinícius Jr. also tested the keeper.
In stoppage time, VAR awarded Madrid a second penalty after Mohammed Alqahtani fouled Fran García in the box beinsports.com+1espn.com+1espn.com+2beinsports.com+2ctpost.com+2.
Federico Valverde stepped up, but Yassine Bono guessed right—diving to his left and saving the low shot to preserve the 1–1 draw .
📊 Match Statistics
| Stats | Real Madrid | Al Hilal |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 66% | 34% |
| Total Shots (On Target) | 16 (6) | 8 (3) |
| Corners | 7 | 2 |
| Penalties | 2 (1 scored, 1 missed) | 1 (scored) |
| Pass Accuracy | 90% | 78% |
Madrid controlled but lacked ruthlessness and concentration at decisive moments.
🌟 Player Ratings
Gonzalo García – 8/10: Scored a composed goal on debut aftonbladet.se+15espn.com+15thesun.co.uk+15si.com.
Trent Alexander‑Arnold – 7.5/10: Debut looked solid; contributed to buildup moves talksport.com+1si.com+1.
Federico Valverde – 7/10: Earned the penalty but missed the decisive spot-kick.
Arda Güler – 7/10: Added spark off the bench; nearly scored.
Raúl Asencio – 5.5/10: At fault for Neves’ equaliser.
🗣️ Alonso’s Reaction – Honest and Focused
In the aftermath, Xabi Alonso was measured:
“We showed identity and control, but at Real Madrid this isn’t enough — you must win games. We’ll learn from this.”
He praised his debutants and highlighted areas needing defensive clarity and finishing consistency beinsports.com+3elpais.com+3si.com+3cadenaser.com+5beinsports.com+5si.com+5espn.com+12hayters.com+12welt.de+12.
🔍 E‑E‑A‑T Analysis
Experience: Alonso brings top-level player successes and tactical insight from Germany and Spain.
Expertise: His system was clear, though execution—especially in the box—needs refinement.
Authoritativeness: Immediate impact in squad unity and media perception — his debut is already respected.
Trustworthiness: Candid post-match evaluation builds trust among fans and players.