Real Madrid News
Real Madrid attacker professes his love for FIFA Club World Cup
The idea of a World Cup has always been a big factor for any Brazilian footballer. The Selecao, after all, have historically been the master of the competition, winning in five times – more than any other nation.
But for Real Madrid star Rodrygo, even the idea of winning the FIFA Club World Cup also draws equal importance to his personal ambition as a footballer.
The attacker admitted the same in a recent interview ahead of Real Madrid’s upcoming game against Al Ahly in the FIFA Club World Cup.
“This is the competition that I have always dreamed of playing as a Brazilian, I know the magnitude of the championship. It means everything to me, to my family, to everyone I know, and they know how excited I am about this competition,” Rodrygo said (h/t Mundo Deportivo).
“As a Brazilian, it’s a very important tournament, one of the biggest. So I really want to have this on my resume,” he added.
Rodrygo, who has featured in 138 competitive matches for Real Madrid since joining the club in 2019, also talked about his memory of the Club World Cup during his time at Santos.
“It’s not the best memory because Santos lost, but the tournament is still the biggest in Brazil. It’s like the Champions League in Europe,” he said, referring to Santos’ 4-1 defeat to Barcelona in 2011.
Rodrygo went on to profess his love for Real Madrid, adding, “I think that when you identify with a club, sometimes it’s just that: you feel good and that’s it. And that was the case with Real Madrid. Although Barcelona was better at that time, I always liked Real Madrid more. I dreamed of being here, of playing here, and that’s the only explanation.”
“I’m still in love with Real Madrid,” added the winger, who will be keen on putting up a good show when Real Madrid take on Al Ahly in the FIFA Club World Cup semifinal later this evening.
There is no way back for Eden Hazard at Real Madrid. The Belgian international has not given the management any reason to have faith in his abilities over his past four seasons at the club and is unsurprisingly the most important departure for the Merengues in the summer.
Hazard has one more year on his contract in Madrid. However, it is clear that Carlo Ancelotti does not trust him and that any potential replacement manager in the summer will echo his stance.
According to reports from Mundo Deportivo, Fenerbahce are willing to go all out to sign Hazard this summer. The Turkish side have made the former Chelsea their prime target, yet face a steep task ahead of them.
The 32-year-old is hellbent on seeing out his contract with Los Blancos despite seeing his career sink right before his eyes. It thus becomes complicated for the party to lure away the forward, especially in a competition outside Europe’s top five leagues.
Fenerbahce attempted to sign the winger in the recently concluded winter transfer market. They reached an agreement with Real Madrid but failed to get over the line as they could not convince the player of the move.
The biggest obstacle for the Turkish side will be convincing Hazard to make the move by letting go of his lucrative contract in Madrid. The chances are slim, but not impossible.
Hazard has made just three league appearances and one start for Ancelotti’s side this season in La Liga, a steep fall from last season’s 18 and seven respectively.
His last appearance for the team came back in January when Real Madrid faced Cacereno in the Copa del Rey. In La Liga however, he last played in September 2022 in a 4-1 win over Mallorca.
