Coach hails Vinicius Junior after Brazilian star helps Real Madrid become world champion for 5th time

Real Madrid defeated Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal 5-3 to win its record-extending seventh Club World Cup championship with Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde scoring twice, and Karim Benzema scoring once. 

It was clear that Al-Hilal’s upset of Flamengo of Brazil to get to the decisive match in the capital of Morocco wasn't a fluke. For the Asian champions, Luciano Vietto and Moussa Marega both scored once.

"Vinícius has been improving since last season just as the team has also grown. We won the Champions League and now the world title, and Vinícius has grown along the way," said Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti.

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Andriy Lunin had several reasons why February 11 would be significant in his life. First, it was his 24th birthday. Second, he was starting the Club World Cup final. Al Hilal only had three shots on goal in this game, but all three were goals since Lunin was helpless to stop them. On his 24th birthday, he won the world championship, but given how he performed on an individual level, it might be a bitter-sweet birthday cake for the Ukrainian. That's unfortunate because he actually contributed significantly to the semi-final victory.

This was the fifth time Real Madrid won the Club World Cup, established in 2000 and included participants from Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and Oceania. The 14-time European champions previously won it in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

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FIFA now officially recognises the winners of the trophy as world champions, despite the fact that the Intercontinental Cup was only played between the holders of the continental championships for Europe and South America.

So, Real Madrid won three additional world championships in addition to their five Club World Cup victories because they won the now-defunct Intercontinental Cup in 1960, 1998 and 2002.

While Real Madrid happen to be the club with the maximum number of World Cup trophies, Barcelona stand second with three wins, which they secured in 2009, 2011 and 2015.

(With agency inputs)