Real Madrid’s German duo elated after lifting FIFA Club World Cup: “Here to win titles” | OneFootball

Real Madrid bulldozed past Al-Hilal and steered to their second trophy of the season last night, as they lifted the FIFA Club World Cup in Rabat. The performance was far from flawless, yet, the job was done with relative ease.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side displayed their superiority, not only as a group but as individuals on the night as all players involved played with poise and nuance. Toni Kroos was one of the most involved players, as he recorded over 100 touches and completed 94% of his passes.

The midfield legend first expressed his ecstasy at winning his second trophy of the season and did not hold back in praising the group that made it look so easy when he spoke to the media after the full-time whistle.

“We’re here to win titles. We’ve done well. There were two games we had to win. We’ve played them and won them and now it’s time to celebrate. I don’t think about a specific number to reach. I try to enjoy football and work hard, that’s when the results come,” he said.

Kroos has broken records all his career and unlocked a new pedestal on Saturday night when he became the first player in the world to win six Club World Cup titles – five with Real Madrid and one with Bayern Munich. He then spoke about the record and highlighted what made the competition elite.

“To get here you have to win the Champions League first. We’re going to try again, but we know it’s difficult. I’m very happy with the six Club World Cups,” Kroos stated.

Being the perfectionist he is, Kroos stayed grounded and also spoke about where his side could have done better saying,

“It’s a long road. In the Champions League, we struggled in the play-offs and the reward is getting here. For the opposition in this tournament, it’s the game of their lives and you have to defeat them. We were serious, but we could’ve defended a bit better in both games,” he added.

The euphoria of lifting silverware is one that creates an insatiable hunger. The 33-year-old urged the group to use the trophy as a propelling force to more success this season.

“We come away from here feeling confident and with one more trophy in the bag. We’re motivated, but we have a very hard fixture calendar because we play every three or four days. But we’re ready for it and we’ll see how we perform,” Kroos signed off.

Kroos was not the only German who shone in Morocco, however, as Antonio Rudiger delivered a solid performance at the back. The centre-back spoke to the press after the game and expressed the pride he felt playing for Real Madrid.

“I’m very happy to win another title with such a special team. This club wins a lot of titles and it’s great to be part of this. It’s something I never imagined,” the summer signing said.

Talking about the game, Rudiger emphasised that they defended poorly for the first goal and revealed what helped them get back into the game, as he said:

“We started very well, we scored two goals. Then we conceded a goal that we shouldn’t have let in. In the second half, we came back very strong and in the end, it came down to minor details. We were able to have a very calm game.”

Finally, the former Chelsea man praised Vinicius Jr for his spectacular performance throughout the event which culminated in him winning the golden ball award, saying: “Vinicius is a special player. He’s strong and in one-on-one situations, he’s the best in the world.”

Source: Real Madrid official website