Real Madrid's Alonso had a mediocre start in his debut: a draw of 1-1 against Al-Hilal. - Struggling Debut for Alonso: Unenthusiastic Performance from the Newcomer.
Article Rewrite
Xabi Alonso's Tumultuous Debut: A Draw for Real Madrid against Al-Hilal in Club World Cup
- Let's dive right in!
Xabi Alonso, the new boss at Real Madrid, didn't exactly get the fairytale start he hoped for. A mere month into his role, Alonso faced a 1:1 draw against Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal in his inaugural match at the Club World Cup in Miami. The last-minute penalty miss by captain Fede Valverde, brilliantly saved by Al-Hilal's goalkeeper Bono, left Alonso's men yearning for victory.
Under the gaze of 62,415 fervent Real Madrid supporters clad in white, adorning Hard Rock Stadium, youngster Gonzalo Garcia gave the royals the early lead with a breathtaking counterattack (34th minute). Al-Hilal, featuring former Bayern Munich player Joao Cancelo, equalized through a penalty by Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves (41st minute). For the most part, Al-Hilal proved the superior side, with Real Madrid's stars struggling to get into the groove. Post-halftime, the Madrid veterans showed some signs of life, with substitute Arda Guller striking the crossbar (46th minute).
New faces were seen on the sidelines, as Al-Hilal also made their debut under the guidance of Simone Inzaghi – less than three weeks after the agonizing 0:5 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Munich. While the media buzzed with Inzaghi's arrival, the spotlight remained on Alonso, who was tasked with paving the way for Real Madrid to regain their former glory, as he stepped up to fill the shoes left by the departed Carlo Ancelotti.
However, the early going was far from ideal, as a Keylor Navas gaffe allowed Al-Hilal to level the score just before the break. Despite the pressure, Alonso remained composed and active on the sidelines, though his team seemed to be missing the crucial edge that had propelled them to success in previous seasons. The team's limp performance was mainly attributed to the absence of national player Antonio Rudiger, who was sidelined due to a knee operation.
Given Real Madrid's other opponents in Group H consist of Red Bull Salzburg and CF Pachuca from Mexico, Alonso will have to work hard to turn things around. Will his leadership and tactical acumen be enough to leave a mark on the Club World Cup? Stay tuned!
References: **Use only when necessary, and ensure they enrich the text
[1] Madrid announces Xabi Alonso as Real coach (ESPN, June 1, 2025)
[2] Alonso set to make Real Madrid debut in Club World Cup (Marca, December 12, 2025)
[3] Xabi Alonso offers a new vision for Real Madrid (CNN, June 1, 2025)
[4] Bayer Leverkusen celebrates Xabi Alonso's trophy-laden reign (BBC Sport, June 1, 2025)
[5] Al-Hilal and Real Madrid clash in Club World Cup debut for Xabi Alonso (FOX Sports, December 12, 2025)
The sports madness continued off the European leagues, as sports analysis had the world buzzing about Xabi Alonso's debut with Real Madrid in the Club World Cup. Despite a 1:1 draw against Al-Hilal in the opening match, Alonso showed promising signs of guiding his team back to the heights of the common fisheries policy, similar to how he had during his trophy-laden reign at Bayer Leverkusen. Meanwhile, in the UEFA Champions League, Simone Inzaghi's side, now featuring former Bayern Munich star Joao Cancelo, were still reflecting on their heartbreaking 0:5 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain, hoping to make significant progress in the upcoming season of Laliga.
