Valverde’s Missed Penalty Sees Real Madrid Held by Al Hilal in Club World Cup Opener

Federico Valverde missed a stoppage-time penalty as Real Madrid began their FIFA Club World Cup 2025 campaign with a frustrating 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal on Wednesday at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

The dramatic finish capped off an action-packed contest that marked a debut for both managers: Xabi Alonso on the Real Madrid bench and Simone Inzaghi taking charge of Al Hilal. A crowd of 62,415, heavily tilted in favor of the Spanish giants, watched in disbelief as Valverde’s low effort was turned away by Yassine Bounou in the dying moments.

Real Madrid struck first in the 34th minute after weathering an early storm from the Saudi side. Gonzalo, starting in place of the absent Kylian Mbappe, initiated a swift counter-attack and finished it himself with a delicate touch following a precise low cross from Rodrygo.

Despite Real’s growing dominance, Al Hilal remained undeterred. They had an earlier goal disallowed for offside and went close through Salem Aldawsari and Marcos Leonardo. Their persistence paid off just before halftime when Raul Asencio was penalized for pulling down Leonardo inside the box. Ruben Neves stepped up and slotted home the equalizer, silencing the Madrid faithful.

After the break, Real Madrid pushed hard to reclaim the lead. Arda Guler, introduced at halftime, rattled the crossbar with a fierce volley. Gonzalo and Valverde both came close as the Spanish side turned up the pressure.

But Al Hilal, buoyed by their first-half resilience, began to find space again in the closing stages. Just when it seemed Real might edge it, a late penalty was awarded following a VAR check for a hand to the face by Mohammed Al Qahtani on Fran Garcia.

Valverde stepped up with the chance to seal a winning start for Alonso, but Bounou guessed correctly and kept out the effort, securing a deserved point for Al Hilal.

While Alonso’s first match in charge ends in a draw, the performance of the Saudi club sends a strong message about their ambitions in this tournament. For Real Madrid, the journey continues with questions to answer—most urgently, how to turn possession into victory.