🤔 Doubts at the start: key players on Xabi Alonso’s first day | OneFootball

Real Madrid made their debut in the 2025 Club World Cup with a 1-1 draw against Al-Hilal.

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The first day of the Alonso era was marked by the good performances of Gonzalo García and Dean Huijsen but also by the lack of rhythm, defensive errors, and the good play of the Arab team.

These were the standout players of the match.

Gonzalo Air García

📸 PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA - AFP or licensors

The youngster emerged as an unexpected hero. In his first start, he received a ball from Rodrygo to luckily score in the 34th minute, but he also left great impressions winning every aerial ball.

SuperBono

📸 Sandra Montanez - 2025 Getty Images

The Moroccan goalkeeper emerged as a decisive figure for Al-Hilal, confidently saving a penalty in stoppage time launched by Valverde, which prevented a defeat for his team.

His calm and firm performance contributed to a solid defensive performance from the Saudi team, unable to retreat under white pressure.

Huijsen organized from the base

📸 Sandra Montanez - 2025 Getty Images

The best news for Xabi Alonso was his unstoppable repertoire when starting the play both with cutting passes and with precise drives. Authority despite his young age.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

📸 PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA - AFP or licensors