Real Madrid and Mexican club Pachuca face each other in the final of the Intercontinental Cup this Wednesday (6 p.m.). A competition to be differentiated from the future Club World Cup.
What is the Intercontinental Cup?
It’s officially a new competition, but it’s really only new in name. It takes up the concept of the old Club World Cup, which pitted the winners of continental competitions against each other (Champions League, Copa Libertadores, etc.). Only 6 teams took part in the tournament. Pachuca (Mexico, North/Central America) eliminated Botafogo (Brazil, South America) then Al-Ahly (Egypt, Africa) to have the right to challenge Real Madrid (Spain, Europe) in the final, exempt from the previous rounds .
The Intercontinental Cup takes place every year. The first round takes place in September, the final in December. Each match is a direct elimination match. The winner of the UEFA Champions League is always automatically qualified for the final. Real Madrid have already been crowned five times under the previous name of the “Club World Cup”. The defending champion is Manchester City.
Will the new Club World Cup replace this competition?
No, the two will coexist. The new Club World Cup will be held for the first time in the summer of 2025. It will take place every four years and will bring together 32 teams. The latter were divided into eight groups of four at the beginning of the month. PSG, the only representative of French football, will notably face Atlético de Madrid (Spain), Botafogo (Brazil) and the Seattle Sounders (United States).
Real Madrid thus plays the Intercontinental Cup in December, will compete in the Club World Cup in June-July 2025 and could appear again in the Intercontinental Cup in December 2025, provided they win the Champions League. The upcoming Club World Cup will take place in the United States. The next edition will be in 2029.
Who is Pachuca, Real Madrid’s opponent?
Pachuca is considered the cradle of Mexican football, its club being the very first in the country’s history, founded in 1892. Its results only partially illustrate its weight: 7 national championship titles, the 8th most successful club from Mexico. Pachuca, on the other hand, has won the CONCACAF Champions League (North/Central America) six times since 2002.
Ibrahim Al Omari / REUTERS
Its players are nicknamed the “Tuzos”, animals called “Geomyidae” or “Pocket Waffles” in French, close to the mole. A reference to the mining past of the city, famous for its silver mines. Coached by Uruguayan Guillermo Almada, the team mainly has Mexican players in its ranks. However, we will note the presence of Moroccan international winger Oussama Idrissi, who played for Ajax Amsterdam and Sevilla FC, who joined Pachuca in 2023.
Will Kylian Mbappé be the starter?
Not sure. The French striker injured his left thigh on December 10, during a match against Atalanta Bergamo in the Champions League. He returned to group training on Monday. “Today (Tuesday) is an important session where he must evaluate his feelings. If there is the slightest risk, he will not play», announced his coach Carlo Ancelotti at a press conference. Real must play again this Sunday at home in La Liga against Sevilla FC, before a winter break like in France.
Why is the Lusail stadium a bad memory for France?
Kylian Mbappé, Aurélien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga may see ghosts when they enter the pitch at Lusail stadium this Wednesday. It is here that, on December 18, 2022, Argentina shattered the dream of the France team in the World Cup final (3-3, 4-2 on penalties). Mbappé came out of the front door, scoring a hat-trick including two goals in two minutes to equalize (80th and 81st). Tchouameni was one of the two Frenchmen, with Kingsley Coman, to miss his shot on goal.
