Match ends, Real Madrid 4, Kashima Antlers 2.
Real MadridReal Madrid4Kashima AntlersKashima Antlers2
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid survived a scare to beat Japanese side Kashima Antlers in extra time and win the Club World Cup.
Real took the lead in the ninth minute through Karim Benzema, but Gaku Shibasaki scored either side of half-time to put Kashima in front.
Ronaldo levelled from the penalty spot on the hour mark after Lucas Vazquez was fouled by Shuto Yamamoto.
The Ballon d'Or winner put his side ahead in extra time after being played through by Benzema, and completed his hat-trick seven minutes later.
This was my perfect year - Ronaldo
Listen: 2016 - the year of Ronaldo?
Victory gave Real their second Club World Cup and extended their unbeaten run to 37 games in all competitions.
It also means nine of the past 10 winners of the competition have come from Europe.
Sharp Antlers give Madrid real scare
The Champions League winners looked set for a comfortable afternoon when Benzema put them ahead, and they dominated possession in the opening stages.
But Kashima - the first Japanese team to reach a Club World Cup final - impressed in an entertaining game, and Shibasaki took both goals well.
Indeed, after Ronaldo's equalising penalty, Kashima had the better chances late in normal time.
First Keylor Navas saved a long-range strike from Fabricio, then Yasushi Endo shot wide at the back post with the final kick of the 90 minutes. At 3-2 down, Yuma Suzuki hit the bar with a header.
The Japanese side also felt Real captain Sergio Ramos should have been sent off in normal time when he appeared to body-check an opponent when on a yellow card.
Referees used video replays to review several decisions during the competition, but Janny Sikazwe chose not take a second look at this incident.
"The referee lacked courage, which was regrettable," said Kashima coach Masatada Ishii.
World's best becomes world champion
Victory for Ronaldo capped an impressive year for the forward, coming six days after he won the Ballon d'Or, awarded to the world's best player.
He scored the winning penalty in Real's Champions League final victory over Atletico Madrid in May, before captaining Portugal to Euro 2016 success in the summer.
His hat-trick in Yokohama was the first in a Club World Cup final, and he is now the joint-top scorer in the competition's history with five goals.
"What a game," said Ronaldo. "We had to suffer, but that's what finals are about. It's a trophy we really wanted to win and we end the year in the best way possible so I'm very happy."
Ronaldo has now won the Club World Cup three times, having done so previously with Manchester United in 2008 and Real in 2014. He was already the only player to win the competition with two different clubs.
Zidane's dream start continues
Having taken over as Real coach from Rafael Benitez in January, Zinedine Zidane's first year in management has been remarkable.
The Champions League, Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup have all been won during an unbeaten run stretching back to April.
That adds to the former France international's achievements as a player, when he won the World Cup, European Championship, La Liga, Serie A, Champions League, Intertoto Cup, Intercontinental Cup and Uefa Super Cup.
Zidane's side, whose last defeat was 2-0 to Wolfsburg in the Champions League, lead La Liga by four points.
Line-ups
Real Madrid
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Navas
- 2CarvajalBooked at 102mins
- 5Varane
- 4RamosBooked at 55minsSubstituted forNachoat 108'minutes
- 12Marcelo
- 19ModricSubstituted forKovacicat 105'minutes
- 14CasemiroBooked at 100mins
- 8Kroos
- 17VázquezSubstituted forIscoat 81'minutes
- 9Benzema
- 7Cristiano RonaldoSubstituted forMorataat 112'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Pepe
- 6Nacho
- 10Rodríguez
- 13Casilla
- 15da Silva Coentrão
- 16Kovacic
- 18Mariano
- 20Asensio
- 21Morata
- 22Isco
- 23Danilo
- 25Yáñez
Kashima Antlers
Formation 4-4-2
- 21Sogahata
- 22Nishi
- 23Ueda
- 3Shoji
- 16YamamotoBooked at 58mins
- 25EndoSubstituted forItoat 103'minutes
- 6NagakiSubstituted forAkasakiat 114'minutes
- 40OgasawaraSubstituted fordos Santos Messiasat 68'minutesBooked at 93mins
- 10Shibasaki
- 33Kanazaki
- 8DoiSubstituted forSuzukiat 88'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Kushibiki
- 11dos Santos Messias
- 13Nakamura
- 14Hwang
- 17Bueno
- 18Akasaki
- 20Misao
- 24Ito
- 29Kawamata
- 32Sugimoto
- 34Suzuki
- 35Hirato
- Referee:
- Janny Sikazwe
- Attendance:
- 68,742
Match Stats
Home TeamReal MadridAway TeamKashima Antlers
- Possession
- Home65%
- Away35%
- Shots
- Home31
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home12
- Away5
- Corners
- Home14
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home17
- Away19
Live Text
Post update
Post update
Second Half Extra Time ends, Real Madrid 4, Kashima Antlers 2.
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Foul by Nacho (Real Madrid).
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Fabrício (Kashima Antlers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Gaku Shibasaki (Kashima Antlers).
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Attempt blocked. Álvaro Morata (Real Madrid) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mateo Kovacic.
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Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Naomichi Ueda.
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Attempt blocked. Isco (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution
Substitution, Kashima Antlers. Shuhei Akasaki replaces Ryota Nagaki.
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Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Gen Shoji (Kashima Antlers).
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Álvaro Morata replaces Cristiano Ronaldo.
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Offside, Real Madrid. Cristiano Ronaldo tries a through ball, but Karim Benzema is caught offside.
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Raphael Varane (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Naomichi Ueda (Kashima Antlers).
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Corner, Kashima Antlers. Conceded by Raphael Varane.
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Nacho replaces Sergio Ramos.
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Marcelo (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Yukitoshi Ito (Kashima Antlers).
Comments
Join the conversation
I say that sarcastically, but I actually didn't see them holding out and taking it to extra time. Well done Kashima Antlers.
By the way,in japan we think referee was afraid of Sergio Ramos...?:3
Ref reaches for yellow card and then decides it wasn't a bookable offence. Got to question the ref there, Ramos should have been off.
No wonder Real have such a high win percentage.
Ronaldo has fully justified each of his Ballon D'Ors, as Messi justified his.
The obsession with picking the best ever player is kind of irrelevant - there's no way of objectively separating Pele, Ronaldo, Messi etc as great football is about more than just goal and assist tally.
That's ridiculous. Not just one of the best footballers of all time, one of greatest sports athletes our species has ever produced.
Take a bow.
However in competitive sport, perhaps arrogance gives individuals a winning attitude and will to win.
If this is the case, then perhaps we should make allowances for people like Ronaldo the sake of spectacle.
So well done Ronaldo. Although I would not invite you for dinner.
None of the European teams even try in this mockery of a competition. If it was a serious competition then it would get held in europe, too. All its for is to try and make other continents feel like they can actually compete. That's not being ignorant, that's just the truth.
Nothing more............
Since Messi 1st emerged he's had an expectation that he will be up there at the very pinnacle along with the Pelés & Marradonas, which to his credit he has lived up to as others with that expectation in the past haven't.
However, Ronaldo has always had you're not as good as Messi thrown at him, yet has gone to play in the same league & statistically gone toe to toe with him