Match ends, Real Madrid 1, Grêmio 0.
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".
"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
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
- Possession
- Home65%
- Away35%
- Shots
- Home20
- Away1
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away0
- Corners
- Home9
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Real Madrid 1, Grêmio 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Luka Modric (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Gareth Bale.
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Foul by Toni Kroos (Real Madrid).
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Luan (Grêmio) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Jael (Grêmio).
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Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Edilson (Grêmio).
Substitution
Substitution, Grêmio. Maicon replaces Michel.
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.
Post update
Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Marcelo Grohe.
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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.
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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.
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Foul by Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid).
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Jailson (Grêmio) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Attempt missed. Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Daniel Carvajal.
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Gareth Bale replaces Karim Benzema.
Post update
Foul by Marcelo (Real Madrid).
Post update
Edilson (Grêmio) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Comments
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Ronaldo - Another goal, another headline, you can't argue with his record like him or not the man produces the goods.
But as he always says the numbers don't lie. Anyone who says Ronald isn't a great player is clearly blinded by hate🤔
It's usually the Japanese who have the best go against Europeans and provide some good attacking football. Madrid 4-2 Kashima last year and Man Utd 5-3 Gamba Osaka in 2008 being a couple of examples.
Personally I would leave the tournament as it is. It's near enough a champion of Champions tournament and this is quite a rarity in football these days as greed tends to result in senseless tournaments.
The UEFA Champions League should be done in a similar way as this. Champions from every Euro country only and that way it's more fair and helps determine who the true Euro champ is.
Thankyou also to the Spanish teams, because if you look up to about five years ago South American teams where actually ahead of European teams in the tally for this trophy, however the last five years Spanish clubs have turned it around for Europe. Premierleague clubs, the Italians and the Germans have been poor in this tournament, check out the stats.