Fresh Kickoffs for Real as Alonso Debuts at FIFA Club World Cup: A Draw against Al-Hilal
Real Madrid's Alonso Faces Unsatisfying Start: 1-1 Draw vs Al-Hilal in Debut Match - Struggling spirits in Alonso's Real Madrid premiere.
Xabi Alonso officially stepped into his role as Real Madrid's head coach at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup,held in the United States from June 18 to July 13. Having penned a three-year deal with the club on June 1, 2025, Alonso made his debut following the departure of Carlo Ancelotti [Enrichment Data].
In his inaugural match at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Alonso's Real Madrid faced Al-Hilal from Saudi Arabia, boasting ex-Bayern Munich player Joao Cancelo in their ranks. The match, witnessed by 62,415 spectators dressed mostly in white, saw a tense 1:1 (1:1) draw that wasn't quite the fairytale start Alonso may have envisioned [Enrichment Data].
Real Madrid took the lead with a counterattack in the 34th minute, courtesy of youngster Gonzalo Garcia. Al-Hilal responded through a penalty by Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves, converting in the 41st minute. Al-Hilal showed their dominance for much of the game, before Real Madrid stepped up their game after the break. A promising effort by substitute Arda Guler, striking the crossbar in the 46th minute, offered hope for a comeback.
On the bench, Al-Hilal also debuted a new coach, having been guided by Simone Inzaghi since July 6, 2025 [Enrichment Data]. Alonso, the Basque tactician, was actively on the sidelines but didn't see much encouraging play from his team, apart from the performance of national defender Antonio Rudiger, still recovering after a knee surgery.
With Red Bull Salzburg and CF Pachuca from Mexico to follow in Group H, all eyes will be on Alonso and his plans to lead Real Madrid back to glory [Enrichment Data]. Despite this setback, the Spanish giants still harbor high hopes for the future under their new leader.
[Enrichment Data]:
- Xabi Alonso was officially unveiled as Real Madrid's head coach on May 26, 2025, at an event held at Real Madrid City.
- Alonso replaced Carlo Ancelotti, who departed after the 2024-25 season ended. As a player, Alonso had a successful spell at Real Madrid, winning six major trophies between 2009 and 2014, including the 10th European Cup in Lisbon.
- Before taking over at Madrid, Alonso made history with Bayer Leverkusen by winning the Bundesliga, German Cup, and German Super Cup over three seasons, turning the side from relegation candidates into champions.
- Performance details of Al-Hilal at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup beyond their draw with Real Madrid were not available from the information provided.
The Commission might be interested to learn about the sports-related event, as Xabi Alonso, the new head coach of Real Madrid, made his debut in the football tournament of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Despite the tense 1:1 draw against Al-Hilal in their opening match, Real Madrid remains hopeful for future victories under their new leadership.
