Vinícius Júnior Shines as Madrid Clinch Group H
Real Madrid sent out a message at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, turning on the style to roll over RB Salzburg 3-0 and book their place at the top of Group H in the FIFA Club World Cup. You could almost feel the tension lift as Vinícius Júnior popped up with another jaw-dropping performance, just when it mattered most. He's the kind of player who doesn't just show up—he takes over, and that's exactly what he did in this encounter.
The drama kicked off late in the first half. Salzburg had defended deep and looked organized, but there’s only so much you can do against a front line firing on all cylinders. In the 40th minute, Vinícius found a pocket of space just outside the box, looked up, and rifled the ball past Salzburg's keeper. It wasn’t just the power—it was the confidence. Real Madrid needed a breakthrough, and their Brazilian star delivered in classic fashion.
But Vinícius wasn’t finished. As halftime approached, he glided forward on another attack, attracting defenders before flicking a cheeky back-heel straight into the path of Federico Valverde. The Uruguayan didn’t hesitate, smashing the second goal home and pretty much killing the tie then and there. Salzburg looked stunned, and Madrid’s bench was already celebrating.
Madrid's Attack Seals Qualification, Salzburg Crash Out
By the second half, it felt like a training exercise for the Spaniards. Salzburg needed a miracle, while Real Madrid simply needed composure. That came in spades when a rapid counterattack released substitute Gonzalo García. The young forward kept his cool, lifting the ball gently over the advancing goalkeeper for Madrid’s third and final goal. It was a moment of calm in a night full of high-octane attacking moves.
The numbers tell their own story. Madrid finish the group stage on seven points, just two ahead of Al-Hilal—who also made sure of their own destiny by beating Pachuca 2-0 in the same evening. Salzburg, who looked promising early in the group, depart with only four points, while Pachuca walk away without a single one.
For Real Madrid, it’s not just about topping another group—it’s about doing it with the ruthless flair and confidence football fans have come to expect. The midfield orchestrators Toni Kroos and Aurélien Tchouaméni kept Salzburg pegged back, and with Valverde and Vinícius leading waves of attacks, you never really felt the Austrians had a way back in.
Now the knockout stage looms. Real Madrid are set to face Juventus in a heavyweight Round of 16 clash on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Al-Hilal, fresh off their win over Pachuca, will meet Manchester City in Orlando, a meeting that promises plenty of fireworks of its own.
The Madridistas in Miami enjoyed another European night under the Florida lights, witnessing their club’s relentless push for more silverware. With Vinícius in this kind of form, who would bet against them?