Real Madrid showed why they’re one of the most famous soccer teams in the world by beating Red Bull Salzburg 3-0 in their final FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) group stage match. This win helped the Spanish giants finish first in Group H, earn a spot in the knockout stage, and sadly eliminated the Austrian team, Salzburg, from the tournament.
With this result, Madrid now have a six-game unbeaten run (which means they haven’t lost in six games in a row), and for the first time under their new coach Xabi Alonso, they’ve won two games in a row. That’s a great sign that things are coming together nicely for this talented team.
Fast Start from Real Madrid
From the very beginning, Real Madrid took control of the game. They passed the ball well, created chances, and showed their world-class talent.
Early in the game, Vinícius Júnior, one of Real Madrid’s brightest young stars from Brazil, was nearly able to score. He was set up by Jude Bellingham, the English midfield star, who made a great pass that split the defense. Vinícius tried to shoot, but Christian Zawieschitzky, Salzburg’s 18-year-old goalkeeper, stretched out his leg to stop it. It was a great save from the young Austrian, who showed a lot of promise.
🧠 Soccer Fact: Jude Bellingham, at just 21 years old, is already one of the best midfielders in the world and won the 2023 Golden Boy award, which is given to the best young player in Europe.
First Goal Before Half-Time
But Real Madrid kept pushing, and finally, five minutes before halftime, they got their reward. Once again, Bellingham and Vinícius worked together. Jude made a beautiful through ball (a pass between defenders that leads a teammate to goal), and Vinícius ran onto it. He cut inside, used his weaker left foot, and shot the ball right into the bottom corner of the goal. It was 1-0 for Real Madrid!
Then, right before the halftime whistle blew, Real Madrid scored again. This time, Vinícius became the playmaker. Inside the penalty area, he backheeled the ball (a creative pass using the back of his foot) to Federico Valverde, who calmly placed the ball into the net. That was Valverde’s second goal of the tournament, and Madrid went into halftime with a strong 2-0 lead.
🧠 Soccer Fact: Real Madrid has won more UEFA Champions League titles than any other club — 14 titles! That shows how dominant they’ve been in European soccer history.
Salzburg Try to Fight Back
Although Salzburg had a tough first half, they didn’t give up. In the second half, they made a few substitutions to bring fresh energy into the game. One of those players was Adam Daghim, who had a good chance early on. He got into a dangerous position near the goal, but Thibaut Courtois, Madrid’s tall and experienced Belgian goalkeeper, made a quick reaction save at the near post.
Another substitute, Maurits Kjærgaard, found himself in a good spot but kicked the ball too high and missed. It was clear Salzburg were trying their best to come back into the game. They were pressing harder and even got a shot from Samson Baidoo, which almost turned into a goal, but Jude Bellingham cleared the ball off the goal line — saving Real Madrid from conceding!
🧠 Soccer Fact: A goalkeeper is the only player on the field allowed to use their hands, but only inside their own penalty area (the big box in front of the goal).
Gonzalo García Seals It for Madrid
As the game was coming to an end, Salzburg still hadn’t found the goal they needed. And instead of them scoring, it was Real Madrid who got another one. This time, it came from a young talent named Gonzalo García.
Even though he doesn’t have a lot of experience at the top level, García showed great skill and calmness. He got the ball in the box and chipped it over the goalkeeper and into the far corner of the goal — a very smart finish for a young player! That goal made it 3-0 and completely ended Salzburg’s hopes.
🧠 Soccer Fact: A “chip” shot is when a player lightly lifts the ball over the goalkeeper or defenders, instead of blasting it hard. It’s a tricky move that requires perfect timing.
End of the Road for Salzburg
This result meant that Real Madrid finished first in Group H, and they now move on to the last-16 round of the FIFA Club World Cup. On the other hand, Salzburg, who had been unbeaten in four matches before this, were eliminated from the tournament. It was a tough ending for them, but they showed effort and spirit against a very strong team.
🧠 Soccer Fact: The FIFA Club World Cup is a tournament that brings together the best teams from every continent — like Europe’s champions, South America’s champions, and more — to see who is the best club in the world!
Player Highlights
Vinícius Júnior: Scored one and assisted one. Fast, skillful, and always a danger to the defense.
Jude Bellingham: Two brilliant passes led to the first two goals. He also made a goal-line clearance to protect Madrid’s clean sheet.
Gonzalo García: The youngster came off the bench and scored a classy goal — a big moment for him!
Thibaut Courtois: Kept a clean sheet (no goals allowed) and made key saves.
Final Score: Real Madrid 3–0 Salzburg
⚽ 40’ – Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid)
⚽ 45+1’ – Federico Valverde (Real Madrid)
⚽ 87’ – Gonzalo García (Real Madrid)
Even though Salzburg are going home, they got valuable experience playing against a club with so much history and talent. As for Real Madrid, they’re looking stronger with each game and will now focus on their next match in the knockout stage, hoping to become Club World Champions once again.
