Champions of the World: Real Madrid's history in the Club World Cup
Los Blancos have won the title more than any other team
As Vinícius Júnior chipped the ball over Mohammed El Shenawy to give Real Madrid the lead against Al Ahly at the FIFA Club World Cup, there was a distinctive feel of inevitability in the air.
That’s because Real Madrid are the champions of the world. When it comes to the Club World Cup, no team can match their return of four titles, having won every time they have made the final of the competition and in four of their five appearances in the final stages before this year.
Here, we take a look back through the history books into their past participations in FIFA’s leading club tournament.
2000 - Failure
Real Madrid’s first involvement came in the 2000 edition, the first of its kind, where Los Blancos qualified as Champions League winners. The eight-team tournament saw Real Madrid emerge unscathed from the group stage courtesy of a draw with Corinthians and wins over Raja Casablanca and Al Nassr (now home to Cristiano Ronaldo).
However, the win over the Moroccan team in São Paulo was hardfought and not guaranteed until Geremi made it 3-2 on 88 minutes, while Corinthians’ 2-0 win over Al Nassr put them top of the group, meaning that Real Madrid faced a third-place play-off.
In that game, Raúl gave the Spanish team the lead over Mexican side Nexaca, but ended up the losing team after a penalty shoot-out in which Steve McManaman and left-back Javier Dorado, making only his second ever start for the club, missed their attempts.
2014 - Champions for the first time
By 2014, the format had changed and Real Madrid only rocked up for the semi-final stage as UEFA’s representative having won the European Super Cup. It was almost poetic that they would be pitted against Mexican opposition in competitive action for the first time since that defeat to Nexaca.
Cruz Azul were their opponents in Marrakesh, but they posed no real threat and Real Madrid were out of sight by half-time and ended the game 4-0 thanks to goals from Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Isco.
The final, played five days before Christmas, pitted Real Madrid against Argentinean side San Lorenzo, but both Ramos and Bale scored again as they cruised to victory.
2016 - Kings again
By now, facing Mexican opposition in this tournament had become the norm. This time, it was América who would stand in Real Madrid’s path, and they put up quite the test. Over 50,000 fans were in Yokohama as Karim Benzema scored in injury time of the first half, with Sergio Ramos adding another in the final minute of the second half.
In the final, Real Madrid suffered a scare up against Japanese side Kashima Antlers, playing in their home nation. Gaku Shibasaki, who later played for Getafe, Tenerife and Deportivo La Coruña before joining current club Leganés, scored twice after Benzema opened the scoring to give them the lead.
Cristiano Ronaldo converted from the penalty spot to even the scoreline and then emerged the hero in extra-time, scoring another two to complete his hat-trick and secure a 4-2 victory to lift the trophy for a second time.
2017 - Two in a row
In their fourth involvement, Real Madrid did not play a Mexican side, but did take on a team playing on home turf for the second year in a row. This time, it came in the semi-final in Abu Dhabi up against Al-Jazira.
Once again, Real Madrid went behind, this time courtesy of a brilliant strike from Romarinho in the closing stages of the first half. Ronaldo equalised early on in the second period, with Gareth Bale securing a late winner.
In the final, the Portuguese ace caught out Gremio goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe from a free-kick from distance, firing the ball in at the near post in the only goal of the game. It sealed Real Madrid’s fifth title in the calendar year, which remains a record.
2018 - Three’s a crowd
Real Madrid pulled ahead of Barcelona to win a historic fourth Club World Cup title in 2018, again held in Abu Dhabi, as they returned to the scene of 2017’s success and took on an old foe in the semi-final in their 2016 final opponents, the Kashima Antlers.
Now without Shibasaki, Gareth Bale continued his incredible record in the competition and recorded a hat-trick. His three goals in 11 minutes made the Welshman the first player to ever score a hat-trick of goals from open play in the competition.
Santiago Solari got his hands on silverware during his brief stint in charge of the team thanks to a thrashing of Al-Ain in the final. Luka Modrić, Marcos Llorente, Sergio Ramos and an own goal from Yahia Nader made light work of the 2017/18 UAE Pro League champions.
2022 - To be seen…
After three years away, Real Madrid are back at the Club World Cup. Egyptian opposition stood in their way in the form of Al Ahly, but Los Blancos made light work of their rivals. Luka Modrić missed a penalty and Eduardo Camavinga gave one away at the other end, but Vinícius Júnior, Federico Valverde, Rodrygo Goes and Sergio Arribas all scored to mean that it didn’t matter in a 4-1 win for Carlo Ancelotti’s team.
Now, in the final, Al-Hilal await and are all that separates Real Madrid from adding to their trophy cabinet…