The Intercontinental Cup has returned twenty years after the last edition, resurrected by FIFA in place of the Club World Cupwhich in the last two decades was reserved for the winners of continental competitions and which has now been expanded dramatically (it will be staged next summer in the United States of America).
In the past a one-off match was played between the winners of the Champions League and the holders of the Copa Libertadores, this time a convoluted scoreboard was drawn up: initial play-off between Al-Ain and Auckland City won by the Emirates, who were then defeated by the Egyptians Al-Ahly; the Mexicans of Pachuca beat the Brazilians of Botafogo and then defeated Al-Ahly on penalties, thus deserving the final for the title against Real Madrid.
The European Champions did not have to play preliminary matches before today’s final match which took place in Lusail (Qatar). Carlo Ancelotti’s boys defeated Pachuca 2-0 and thus raised the trophy to the skyascending the throne of the Planet for the ninth time in history after three “classic” Intercontinental Cups (1960, 1998, 2002) and five Club World Cups (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022).
It was what made the difference Kylian Mbappéwho has unblocked himself in recent weeks: in the 37th minute he scored the opening goal and then in the 53rd minute he gave Rodrygo the invitation to double the lead which finally stunned the opponents before the penalty converted by Vinicius Junior in the final. Real Madrid can boast the title of World Champion, but in the summer a new competition will be played in an increasingly intense calendar which is also creating a lot of confusion.
