At the 2025 Club World Cup, Real Madrid topped Group H with seven points, followed by Al Hilal on five points, RB Salzburg on four, and Pachuca bottom with zero.
Madrid’s three wins came against Salzburg and Pachuca, after a draw with Al Hilal. That left them clear on goal difference.
Al Hilal’s late win over Pachuca secured them second, edging Salzburg by a point. Salzburg meanwhile were edged out and Pachuca never got off the mark.
Real Madrid: European Royalty Kick Off New Era at Club World Cup
Real Madrid earned their place after winning the UEFA Champions League in 2022 and 2024, and arrived in Miami under Xabi Alonso’s new tactical era.
Their campaign began with a 1-1 draw against Al Hilal.
Next came the 3-1 win over Pachuca on June 22 in Charlotte and the Spanish giants started the game with Raul Asencio sent off in the seventh minute.
Despite being a man down, Real turned it around through goals by Jude Bellingham (35′), Arda Güler (43′), and Federico Valverde (70′).
That result put them on track.
On June 26 in Philadelphia, Madrid delivered the knockout blow. They enjoyed a 3-0 win over Salzburg with goals from Vinícius, Valverde, and youth prospect Gonzalo García.
Topping the group, Real Madrid have advanced to the next round, where they will face Juventus.
Al Hilal: Asian Winners Sneak Through
Al Hilal qualified by lifting the 2021 AFC Champions League. A 1-1 draw opening against Madrid wasn’t a bad introduction to the 2025 Club World Cup.
They followed that up with another draw, this time to RB Salzburg.
On June 26 in Nashville, they got what they needed: a 2-0 win over Pachuca. Salem Al-Dawsari struck in the 22nd minute while Marcos Leonardo added a stoppage-time goal.
That result put them second on five points, setting them up with a showdown against Manchester City in the Round of 16.
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RB Salzburg: Austria’s Bright Sparks Fall Just Short
Salzburg flew in via UEFA ranking. They kicked off with a statement 2-1 win over Pachuca, claiming three points early on.
Their second game was a goalless draw with Al Hilal in Washington on June 22.
That moved them to four points, but not enough to secure early promotion.
Facing Real on June 26, Salzburg came unstuck. Madrid controlled possession and scored three without reply, keeping Salzburg from contention.
With four points total, the Austrian club bowed out.
Pachuca: CONCACAF Winners Left Frustrated
Pachuca qualified as 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup winners, but their debut was miserable.
They lost 2-1 to Salzburg in their opener. They then faced a 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid.
A final 2-0 loss to Al Hilal ended their tournament on zero points.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Nicolo Campo
Recording Date: 26.06.2025