Club World Cup
Real MadridReal Madrid1GrêmioGrêmio0

Real Madrid 1-0 Gremio

Real Madrid
Real Madrid have enjoyed their most successful year in 2017, winning five trophies

Cristiano Ronaldo expects to continue his "trajectory" and win more trophies at Real Madrid after scoring the winner against Gremio in Saturday's Club World Cup final.

The Portugal international, 32, curled home a free-kick as Real became the first team to win back-to-back titles.

Ronaldo won a fifth Ballon d'Or earlier this month and crowned himself "the best player in history".external-link

"The numbers speak for themselves," he said.

"I am very happy, I remain very motivated to keep winning things at a collective and individual level.

"I still feel strong enough to continue my trajectory as a player and to win trophies, which is what I like most."

Saturday's victory in Abu Dhabi was a record-equalling third Club World Cup win for Real, who also triumphed in 2014, matching Barcelona's achievement.

Real have now won five trophies in 2017 - the Champions League, La Liga, Uefa Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup and now the Club World Cup.

It takes their overall total under Zinedine Zidane to eight since the former France international's appointment as manager in January 2016.

Ronaldo rises to the occasion again

Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his seventh Club World Cup goal

For long periods of this game in Abu Dhabi, it looked like Brazilian side Gremio would frustrate Real Madrid and perhaps even pinch a victory as the Spanish giants became increasingly frustrated in their attempts to break down a disciplined defence.

Real dominated possession in the first half but only one of their 10 chances before the break was on target.

They switched to attempting to find joy from long distance but efforts by Luka Modric, Ronaldo and Karim Benzema were all wayward.

However, eight minutes into the second half Real were awarded a free-kick 25 yards from goal when Ronaldo was tripped and the Portugal international picked himself up to curl the ball through a gap in the wall and into the net.

It was Ronaldo's fourth goal in three Club World Cup finals and extended his record of scoring in significant finals for Real Madrid, having also hit three goals in three Champions League finals and two goals in two Copa del Rey finals.

Line-ups

Real Madrid

Formation 4-3-1-2

  • 1Navas
  • 2Carvajal
  • 5Varane
  • 4Ramos
  • 12Marcelo
  • 10Modric
  • 14CasemiroBooked at 27mins
  • 8Kroos
  • 22IscoSubstituted forVázquezat 73'minutes
  • 9BenzemaSubstituted forBaleat 80'minutes
  • 7Cristiano Ronaldo

Substitutes

  • 6Nacho
  • 11Bale
  • 13Casilla
  • 15Hernández
  • 17Vázquez
  • 18Llorente
  • 19Hakimi
  • 20Asensio
  • 21Mayoral
  • 23Kovacic
  • 24Ceballos
  • 35Ramos Wade

Grêmio

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Grohe
  • 2Mendes Guimaraes
  • 3Geromel
  • 4Kannemann
  • 12Cortes Barbosa
  • 25Marques Siqueira
  • 5Ferreira dos SantosSubstituted forThiago Pereira de Souzaat 84'minutes
  • 17Moschen BenettiSubstituted forSousa Soaresat 71'minutes
  • 7de Jesús Vieira
  • 21Pereira da Silva
  • 18BarriosSubstituted forFerreira Vieiraat 63'minutes

Substitutes

  • 6Gomes da Conceiçao Silva
  • 8Thiago Pereira de Souza
  • 9Ferreira Vieira
  • 11Sousa Soares
  • 14Fenelon Palomo
  • 15De Albuquerque
  • 22Simonete Bressanelli
  • 26Oliveira Ferreira
  • 28Silva Mendes
  • 30Medeiros Grassi
  • 48Mileo Vidotti
  • 88da Silva Moura
Referee:
César Arturo Ramos Palazuelos
Attendance:
41,094

Match Stats

Home TeamReal MadridAway TeamGrêmio
Possession
Home65%
Away35%
Shots
Home20
Away1
Shots on Target
Home7
Away0
Corners
Home9
Away1
Fouls
Home14
Away12

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Real Madrid 1, Grêmio 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Real Madrid 1, Grêmio 0.

  3. Post update

    Attempt missed. Luka Modric (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Gareth Bale.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Toni Kroos (Real Madrid).

  5. Post update

    Luan (Grêmio) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  6. Post update

    Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  7. Post update

    Foul by Jael (Grêmio).

  8. Post update

    Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Edilson (Grêmio).

  10. Substitution

    Substitution, Grêmio. Maicon replaces Michel.

  11. Post update

    Attempt missed. Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) left footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the left following a corner.

  12. Post update

    Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Marcelo Grohe.

  13. Post update

    Attempt saved. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Marcelo.

  14. Post update

    Attempt saved. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Sergio Ramos.

  15. Post update

    Foul by Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid).

  16. Post update

    Jailson (Grêmio) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  17. Post update

    Attempt missed. Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Daniel Carvajal.

  18. Substitution

    Substitution, Real Madrid. Gareth Bale replaces Karim Benzema.

  19. Post update

    Foul by Marcelo (Real Madrid).

  20. Post update

    Edilson (Grêmio) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Comments

Join the conversation

These comments are now closed.

104 comments