<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Real Madrid have been crowned FIFA World Club Cup champions after defeating Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal 5-3 in a thrilling encounter Morocco.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Spanish side Real Madrid were heavy favourites to clinch the title for a fifth time and after going 2-0 up inside 20 minutes another trophy for the storied European giants never seemed in doubt. But Al Hilal put up a fight that delighted fans and supporters across the Arab world.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A 13th-minute goal for Vinicius Jr and a strike by Federico Valverde five minutes later put Los Blancos in command of the game.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Moussa Marega pulled a goal back for Al Hilal, but the strength of Real Madrid was too much for the Saudi side to overcome.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is the first time a team from the Middle East has reached the final of the tournament and Al Hilal’s success is a sign of the region’s growing importance to world football.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After defeating South American champions Flamengo in the semi-finals, Al Hilal’s players were all gifted SR1m ($266,500) by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Despite the promise of the same bonus again if they were able to beat Real Madrid, and a reported SR500,000 from Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz Al-Faisal, it was all too much to do for Al Hilal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A second-half goal for legendary striker Karim Benzema added to the tally, before Valverde claimed his second of the night.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Al Hilal can hold their heads high, after putting up a fight against one of the greatest teams in the world. Luciano Vietto pulled a goal back for the Saudi side in the 63rd minute, but it wasn’t enough.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Real Madrid were able to score more-or-less at will, and in the very next attack Vinicius Jr. netted the Spanish side’s fifth goal of the night.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Luciano Vietto set up an exciting finish by bringing up the eighth goal of the night to make it 5-3.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Driven by the thought of making Arab and World football history, as well as the thought of a further financial bonus if they could have overturned Real Madrid, Al Hilal’s players gave it everything they had for the final 10 minutes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ultimately, though, the Spanish champions and their squad of world stars were just too strong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The FIFA Club World Cup is an annual international club football competition organised by FIFA.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The competition brings together the champion clubs from each of FIFA’s six continental confederations, as well as the host country’s national league champion, to determine the best club team in the world.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The tournament has been held since 2000 and past winners include Barcelona, Liverpool and Bayern Munich.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The tournament was held in Morocco this year and as winners Real Madrid earn the right to display the FIFA Club World Cup trophy until the next tournament. AB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>