MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The disrespect has been veiled but apparent, implicit in Europe’s attitude toward this Club World Cup, evident on social media and TV. It even seeped into the mixed zone at Hard Rock Stadium on Wednesday after Al Hilal’s 1-1 draw with Real Madrid. Reporters, digesting an unexpectedly even match, asked players from both sides: Were they surprised? After tolerating one spiel about “el mejor equipo del mundo” — the supposed “best team in the world,” Real Madrid — Malcom couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Nosotros también sabemos jugar al fútbol,” Al Hilal’s Brazilian winger said.
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“We also know how to play soccer.”
That, in sum, has been the overarching message sent by teams from the Americas and Saudi Arabia five days into the Club World Cup. Against prevailing assumptions that European superclubs would waltz to the semifinals, the six South American participants charged through their first round of games without a loss.
And here in South Florida, two days after Boca Juniors drew Benfica, one day after Fluminense outplayed Borussia Dortmund and Monterrey matched Inter Milan, Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal held strong against Europe’s winningest club.
“It was a very balanced match,” Al Hilal fullback João Cancelo said afterward in Spanish. “We played against one of the best teams in the world, and we came to compete.” The game, he said, could’ve tipped to either side, and in the end, a draw was “a fair result.”
Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal rose to the occasion against Spanish giants Real Madrid in a 1-1 draw Wednesday. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / Reuters)
It was the seventh game between a European team and a professional non-European challenger at the 2025 Club World Cup. And although none of the seven European clubs have lost, five have labored to draws. Brazil’s Palmeiras and Fluminense blitzed Porto and Dortmund, respectively, and settled for unlucky 0-0s. Argentina’s Boca Juniors led Benfica 2-0 in a match that ultimately ended 2-2.
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And then, on Tuesday night, Mexico’s Monterrey hung with a UEFA Champions League finalist, Inter.
“We said we were going to go toe-to-toe, and I think that’s what we did,” Monterrey defender Sergio Ramos said in Spanish postgame. “We had phases where we were better than [Inter].” Their performance, Ramos added, “says a lot about Rayados, says a lot about us, and about the intent we came here with.”
Sixteen hours later, Al Hilal brought a third continent to the party. The state-owned Saudi giants had more possession and more than twice as many shots as Real Madrid in Wednesday’s first half. In the second, with expensive stars replaced by subs, they faded; but Yassine Bounou — who two years ago was voted the third-best goalkeeper in all of men’s soccer — saved a stoppage-time penalty and secured a point.
Speaking 30 minutes later, Cancelo glowed, and raved about what his team’s performance said about the Saudi Pro League. “I’m not saying we’re world-class,” he clarified in Spanish, “because we’re not in the top-five leagues in the world. But we’re good players.” He said the level had “surprised him a lot” when he first joined Al Hilal after stints at Juventus, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona. Now, it no longer does. “We’re a very strong team,” he said.
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In many ways, they’re an imperfect representative of the Saudi league and Asian soccer confederation. Al Hilal spent $550 million on player transfers the past two years. It is one of four powerhouse clubs in a league that’s otherwise relatively undeveloped. And it’s the only Asian team to get a result thus far at this Club World Cup.
But Cancelo was adamant — in three different languages. There are “players with great quality, very physical,” he said in Spanish. And in English: “We have very good players in this league. I played in the best leagues in the world; I know what [I’m talking about].”
Those are the types of words that, for years, Europe could laugh off. Now, it’s being forced to confront the possibility that the gap between the “Big Five leagues” — England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France — and the rest of the world is slimmer than many realize. There will, of course, be excuses, with fatigue chief among them. And there will probably still be assumptions that, despite tight group-stage games, the European kings will eventually reign.
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But, when asked whether teams from Saudi Arabia, South America and Mexico could continue to trouble European teams throughout the tournament, Malcom didn’t hesitate.
“Sure. Sure,” he said. “It’s a tournament of champions. … I’m sure the teams from South America, from Asia, like Al Hilal, will surprise [people] in this tournament.”
There were, to be clear, no indications that Real Madrid was surprised; nothing to suggest that they overlooked Al Hilal. “We knew they were at a good level,” defender Dean Huijsen said.
But the match reinforced a truth that probably applies to 30 of 32 teams at this tournament.
As Hiujsen said: “Do not underestimate any opponent.”
Armando Botello II contributed reporting from Pasadena, California.
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