Real Madrid’s Young Stars Take Center Stage: Takeaways From Victory vs. Pachuca | OneFootball

Real Madrid secured their first victory of the Xabi Alonso era after defeating Pachuca 3–1 in the FIFA Club World Cup.

After collecting just a point against Al Hilal in Alonso’s debut on the touchline, Real Madrid made a statement in Charlotte. Raúl Asencio was sent off in the seventh minute, but that did not stop Los Blancos from dominating the game at Bank of America Stadium.

Jude Bellingham opened the scoring in the 35 minute with a powerful left-footed strike to get his undermanned side on the scoresheet. Then, in his first start under Alonso, Arda Güler doubled Real Madrid’s lead just eight minutes later.

Fede Valverde sealed Real Madrid’s victory with a goal of his own in the second half, redeeming himself after failing to convert from the spot against Al Hilal. Pachuca managed to bag a consolation goal in the 80th minute, but it did not dampen Los Blancos’ great effort in Charlotte.

Here’s three takeaways from Real Madrid’s first FIFA Club World Cup win below.

Real Madrid’s Young Talent Steal the Show

Arda Güler (center) bagged the winner for Real Madrid. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

On a team full of proven, championship-winning superstars, it was 20-year-old Dean Huijsen, 20-year-old Güler and 21-year-old Gonzalo García that shined at Bank of America Stadium.

So much was made about Trent Alexander-Arnold’s arrival, and yet Huijsen has been the one to seamlessly fit in at Real Madrid. The former Bournemouth defender shined in his debut against Al Hilal and put in an even better performance against Pachuca. Down a man and with natural midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni alongside him, Huijsen played a composed, impactful game that helped Los Blancos only concede one goal.

Güler, meanwhile, finally got to play more centrally as a No. 10 in his first start of the Alonso era. The Türkiye international got the nod over Rodrygo and repaid his manager’s decision with a goal. The potential of the 20-year-old is off the charts; from his lethal left foot to his creativity in the final third, Güler is slowly showing Alonso why he deserves to be a permanent fixture in Real Madrid’s XI moving forward.

Although García had a quieter game than both Huijsen and Güler, he still set up the latter’s goal. The forward now has two goals and two assists to his name in just 170 minutes with the first team this season. The Real Madrid Castilla product will eventually be replaced by Kylian Mbappé, but he more than earned a place on Alonso’s bench for the 2025–26 season.

Raúl Asencio’s Days As a Starter Are Numbered

Raúl Asencio was sent off against Pachuca just seven minutes into the match. / IMAGO/Sportimage

After a quick rise through the ranks in Carlo Ancelotti’s final campaign in charge, Asencio has delivered back-to-back unacceptable performances under Alonso. The former Real Madrid Castilla star conceded a penalty in Real Madrid’s opener against Al Hilal that ultimately cost his side the victory. Then, he saw red inside of seven minutes against Pachuca.

The instances were more than just mistakes—they were poor lapses in judgment that simply cannot happen, especially when representing the biggest club in the world. Instead of keeping his wits and using his physicality to defend, Asencio resorted to clumsy, needless takedowns in two high-pressure situations.

No matter how clutch he was in his debut season with the first-team, Asencio will likely not get many more, or any, opportunities to impress his new manager. The introduction of Dean Huijsen, along with the early return of Antonio Rüdiger, will limit Asencio’s minutes not just in the United States this summer, but in the future as well.

Plus, once Éder Militão and David Alaba fully recover from their respective injuries, Asencio could fall to fifth in Alonso’s pecking order. He would have no one to blame but himself if so.

Question Marks Still Surround Real Madrid’s Attack

Vinícius Júnior once again underwhelmed up top. / IMAGO/NurPhoto

Despite the scoreline, Real Madrid still have a lot of unanswered questions moving forward. Vinícius Júnior once again failed to have a true impact on the game, creating just one chance and managing zero shots in 87 minutes on the pitch. The Brazilian has now found the back of the net just twice in his last 16 appearances, a far cry from his Ballon d’Or-worthy form from the 2023–24 season.

Rodrygo also remains a talking point after the winger did not appear in the fixture. The 24-year-old was relegated to the bench for Güler and did not even come on as a substitute. As transfer speculation continues to build, Rodrygo’s future in a white shirt is still uncertain, especially with the impending arrival of Franco Mastantuono.

The Brazilian’s place on the right wing could also be taken by an unlikely opponent in Valverde. Alonso opted to start the Uruguayan on the right wing against Pachuca and the natural midfielder went on to bag a goal.

It is no secret Valverde can play almost any position on the pitch; he spent half of last season filling in at right back, and he also helped Real Madrid win the 2022 Champions League final from the right wing. Still, it will be interesting to see if Alonso wants to give the 26-year-old more of a role in the attack to free up space for Güler or revert to a front three of Vinícius Júnior, Mbappé and Rodrygo.

Either way, a lot of decisions are coming Alonso’s way, and his responses will determine just how far Real Madrid go in the FIFA Club World Cup.