Real Madrid, with doubts surrounding Kylian Mbappé, is gearing up for its ninth world crown. The Spanish powerhouse aims to dominate the Intercontinental Cup history, as it already does in the Club World Cup, and put the finishing touch on a brilliant 2024. To do so, they must overcome the inspired Mexican side, Pachuca, the Concacaf champions, who have had an impressive journey to the final in Qatar. 

Each world title comes with high expectations for Real Madrid, always seen as the favorite. This time, they face Pachuca, a team that has defeated champions from Mexico, the United States, Brazil, and Egypt. The European giants have the chance to claim their fourth Intercontinental Cup, surpassing Milan, Peñarol, Boca Juniors, and Nacional in the competition’s history.

With the Club World Cup set to debut its new format in 2025, Real Madrid could achieve a rare feat: winning two world titles in the same season. However, the intense modern soccer calendar continues to challenge players' endurance, with more games and fewer breaks leading to injuries and diminishing brilliance on the pitch.

A Date with History for Real Madrid

One of the challenges facing Carlo Ancelotti is the question of his team's playing style. The Italian coach’s response has always been his record of titles. If Real Madrid defeats Pachuca, Ancelotti will become the most decorated manager in the club’s history, surpassing Miguel Muñoz, with 15 titles.

Having already won two Club World Cups with Real Madrid, Ancelotti has yet to add an Intercontinental Cup to his résumé. This time, he must do so without key players such as Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy, Éder Militão, and David Alaba, who remains sidelined after a year of injuries.

Ancelotti’s tactical decisions include deploying Aurélien Tchouaméni as a center-back instead of giving more minutes to academy prospect Raúl Asencio, despite his promising performances. Meanwhile, Lucas Vázquez and Fran García are set to occupy the full-back positions, with Eduardo Camavinga returning to midfield alongside the ever-reliable Fede Valverde.

The offensive setup will depend on Ancelotti’s risk tolerance with Mbappé, who has made a quick recovery from injury. If Mbappé starts, the attack could feature Rodrygo Goes, Vinícius Jr., and the French star. Alternatively, Jude Bellingham may drop into a deeper role as a fourth midfielder, leaving room for two forwards.

The final also offers Real Madrid a chance to build on their Super Cup win earlier this season, where Mbappé scored a stunning goal against Atalanta. For Pachuca, however, this match represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make history.

Pachuca’s Dream of World Glory

Under the guidance of Guillermo Almada, Pachuca has excelled defensively throughout the Intercontinental Cup, not conceding a single goal. Their strategy at the Lusail Stadium—a venue forever linked to Lionel Messi’s World Cup triumph—will focus on maintaining discipline and limiting spaces for Real Madrid’s stars.

Offensively, the Mexican team relies on Salomón Rondón, who has scored 26 goals in 2024, and Oussama Idrissi, the Dutch-Moroccan forward with experience at Sevilla. Their inspiration comes from Necaxa, the only Mexican team to defeat Real Madrid in official competition, a penalty shootout victory in the 2000 Club World Cup.

With six Concacaf titles, the 2006 Copa Sudamericana, and a third-place finish in the 2017 Club World Cup, Pachuca enters the match with a proven track record of punching above their weight. Their dream? To become world champions.

Probable Lineups

Real Madrid: Courtois; Lucas Vázquez, Tchouaméni, Rüdiger, Fran García; Camavinga, Fede Valverde, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinícius, Mbappé or Modric.
Pachuca: Carlos Moreno; Andrés Micolta, Gustavo Cabral, Bryan González, Luis Rodríguez; Alan Bautista, Pedro Pedraza, Elías Montiel, Nelson Deossa; Idrissi, Rondón.

Referee: Jesús Valenzuela (Venezuela).
Stadium: Lusail Stadium.