Vinicius Scores as Real Madrid Reach Club World Cup Last 16

Real Madrid advanced to the last 16 of the Club World Cup following a 3-0 victory against Red Bull Salzburg on Thursday, with Vinicius Junior playing a decisive role. The Brazilian forward netted the opening goal and provided an assist for the second, helping his team finish at the top of Group H with seven points.

The win secures Real Madrid a place in the knockout rounds, where they will face Juventus in Miami on Tuesday. The group stage also saw Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia progress as runners-up after defeating Pachuca 2-0, setting up a clash with Manchester City in the next round.

Bellingham and Vinicius Shine in Philadelphia

In front of nearly 65,000 spectators at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Real Madrid showcased a confident performance despite the absence of key forward Kylian Mbappe, who is yet to feature in the tournament due to illness. Fans gave a particularly warm reception to Jude Bellingham, whose influence on the match was immediate and impactful.

Head coach Xabi Alonso, recently appointed to lead Madrid, implemented a tactical setup featuring a back three, mirroring his previous strategy at Bayer Leverkusen. Aurelien Tchouameni was positioned centrally between Antonio Rudiger and Dean Huijsen, while Trent Alexander-Arnold and Fran Garcia operated as wing-backs.

Madrid’s opening goal came five minutes before halftime. Bellingham delivered a precise pass that split the Salzburg defense and found Vinicius, who maintained control under pressure and finished with a left-footed shot into the corner. It marked his 22nd goal across all competitions this season.

Clinical Finishing Seals Real’s Victory

Just before the halftime break, Vinicius was again central to the action. Following a deflection off Salzburg midfielder Mamady Diambou, the Brazilian picked up the ball, entered the penalty area, and used a well-executed back-heel to assist Federico Valverde, who converted for the second goal.

Although Salzburg created some opportunities in the second half, they were unable to convert. A notable chance fell to Petar Ratkov after a turnover near Madrid’s box, but the Austrian side failed to capitalize.

Madrid remained disciplined and added a third goal in the closing stages of the match. A forward ball from Alexander-Arnold should have been dealt with by defender Joane Gadou, but his miscontrol allowed Gonzalo Garcia to intercept and race through on goal. The young striker calmly finished past the goalkeeper, securing his second goal of the tournament.