Photo moment: Valverde makes it three

New York Times

5 hours ago

The incident, which occurred in stoppage time, overshadowed Real Madrid's first win of the 2025 Club World Cup Getty Images
Antonio Rudiger was allegedly racially abused by Pachuca captain Gustavo Cabral in Real Madrid's 3-1 Club World Cup win earlier today.
Rudiger alerted referee Ramon Abatti to the alleged comment during second-half stoppage time and the match official subsequently performed FIFA's protocol gesture to signal alleged racial abuse.
Cabral denied making a racist comment, saying after the match: 'It was a fight, we collided, he said that I hit him with my hand and then there was an argument and the referee made the sign of racism. In Argentina we say 'cagon de mierda' (a profanity used to call someone a coward) all the time. I told him the same thing.'
Rudiger's representative says the Madrid defender rejects Cabral's explanation. The Athletic has contacted FIFA for comment.
Speaking earlier, Madrid manager Xabi Alonso said: 'Toni has told us something, the FIFA protocol is activated and an investigation is under way. We believe him. It is unacceptable.'
It came towards the end of the Spanish club's 3-1 win, with Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler and Fede Valverde scoring the goals after an early red card for Raul Asencio.
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Real Madrid's Antonio Rudiger allegedly racially abused by Pachuca's Gustavo Cabral at Club World Cup Connections: Sports Edition Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Getty Images
How about this for a photo — Valverde celebrates his goal for Madrid along with Vinicius Junior and Brahim Diaz.
A move and a goal well worthy of a look to the heavens. Getty Images
What a game! As we digest that match, here's how we rate Real Madrid's players: Courtois: 8. Made some important saves to deny Pachuca. Key in helping them through a few tricky patches.
Made some important saves to deny Pachuca. Key in helping them through a few tricky patches. Alexander-Arnold: 7. Offered plenty going forward, got an assist but struggled against John Kennedy in the second half.
Offered plenty going forward, got an assist but struggled against John Kennedy in the second half. Asencio: 2. Sent off for a rash challenge on Rondon early in the half. A clumsy error against an experienced opponent.
Sent off for a rash challenge on Rondon early in the half. A clumsy error against an experienced opponent. Huijsen: 8. Madrid's best defender. Locked in battles with Rondon, he held his own.
Madrid's best defender. Locked in battles with Rondon, he held his own. Fran Garcia: 7. Stretched by Pachuca but did enough as the defence covered the gap left by Asencio.
Stretched by Pachuca but did enough as the defence covered the gap left by Asencio. Valverde: 8. Everywhere for Madrid, rewarded with a quality goal.
Everywhere for Madrid, rewarded with a quality goal. Tchouameni: 7. Moved into defence after the red card. More resolute from there in the second half.
Moved into defence after the red card. More resolute from there in the second half. Bellingham: 8. Made the difference to unlock Pachuca with his goal when Madrid were battling hard.
Made the difference to unlock Pachuca with his goal when Madrid were battling hard. Guler: 8. Had to drop deeper and act as playmaker after the sending off. Performed the role well, rewarded with a goal.
Had to drop deeper and act as playmaker after the sending off. Performed the role well, rewarded with a goal. Gonzalo Garcia: 6. Had limited service but held the ball up well for runners from midfield.
Had limited service but held the ball up well for runners from midfield. Vinicius Junior: 7. Always a creative threat, selfish on the ball on a few occasions but stretched the play well.
Subs: Diaz: 7. Offered an outlet on the counter. Added energy to the side after coming on, delivered a lovely assist for Valverde.
Offered an outlet on the counter. Added energy to the side after coming on, delivered a lovely assist for Valverde. Modric: 7. A popular introduction with fans, always classy in possession. Added composure.
A popular introduction with fans, always classy in possession. Added composure. Ceballos: 6. Fresh legs in the second half, not as impactful as his fellow subs.
Fresh legs in the second half, not as impactful as his fellow subs. Rudiger: N/A Getty Images
Valverde was absolutely everywhere and got his reward with a wall-taken goal in the second half.
So often Madrid's star player in games this season, he drifted infield and caused all sorts of problems for Pachuca going forward.
A lovely surging run to get on the end of Brahim Diaz's chipped pass made for a great finish for Madrid's third goal.
He gets our (unofficial) vote for player of the match.
At 20 years and 57 days, Arda Guler has become the youngest player to score 10 goals for Real Madrid in all competitions since at least 2009/10, surpassing Vinicius Junior's previous record in 2020 (20 years and 80 days old).
Thanks to our friends at Opta for that stat. Getty Images
FT Real Madrid 3-1 Pachuca
And there it is!
The final whistle blows at Bank of America Stadium and Real Madrid's first win of the 2025 Club World Cup is confirmed.
And that is also Xabi Alonso's first win as Madrid manager — a good day out for him and his players, despite the early red card. Getty Images
90+4' Real Madrid 3-1 Pachuca
Rudiger and veteran Gustavo Cabral tussle inside the box as they wait for a cross, a bit of holding, a little push, and Cabral sort of flicks his arm out in a 'get off' motion.
Cabral's fingers accidentally sort of brush relatively close to Rudiger's face, who goes down dramatically.
Anyway, no foul and play continues.
90+3' Real Madrid 3-1 Pachuca
Five minutes of added time. Three of them served. Getty Images
89' Real Madrid 3-1 Pachuca
Time ticking towards 90 minutes.
Pachuca pushing for a goal that would make it an interesting period of added time...
Arda Guler as a starter and both Brahim Diaz and academy player Victor Munoz from the bench ahead of Rodrygo Goes today. Getty Images
87' Real Madrid 3-1 Pachuca
...with 21-year-old academy product Victor Munoz brought on to lead the line.
As Felipe Cardenas pointed out earlier, Elias Montiel of Pachuca stood out in the clubs' last meeting in December despite a 3-0 loss, earning himself a firm handshake and encouragement from Madrid president Florentino Perez and some of his aides.
Today he has a goal against one of the best teams in the world. Nice moment for him.
Rudiger back out onto the pitch is great news for Madrid. It's his first game since the Copa del Rey final in late April, and he's just back from a knee operation.
Alonso will really want to get him quickly up to speed, and with Asencio suspended for Thursday's final group game against RB Salzburg, the hope would be that he would be ready to start then.
Pachuca was always going to be outmatched. The chances of defeating Real Madrid were very slim, but this is a humiliating result for the Mexican side.
Pachuca are the reigning CONCACAF Champions Cup winners. They're a proud club with a history of overachieving.
To be down 3-1 with a man advantage (since the seventh minute) is brutal for the team's morale.
Pachuca's 22nd shot at goal finds the net, via Tchouameni's foot deflecting it past Courtois.
Quite passive from Madrid to allow Montiel the space to shoot, with a feeling the game is already won. Getty Images
80' Real Madrid 3-1 Pachuca
Elias Montiel finds the net!
Out of almost nothing.
The teenage midfielder, 19, picked the ball up outside the box, shot, and it took a significant deflection before the ball nestled in the net past a helpless Courtois.
It was always going to take a special strike like that or a bit of luck to beat the big Belgian today.
First back-three defence by Alonso: Fede Valverde-Rudiger-Tchouameni-Huijsen-Fran Garcia.
78' Real Madrid 3-0 Pachuca
Centre-back Antonio Rudiger on for Trent Alexander-Arnold.
70,248 supporters watching today's match. Getty Images
During the cooling break, FIFA's official stats have Pachuca already up to 21 shots at goal, with seven on target (meaning seven 'goal preventions' for Courtois, per FIFA's jargon).
Madrid have had eight shots in total: just three on target, and all three have found the net.