The quality of this Club World Cup was never going to be determined by the strength of the teams in the field, but how hard they were going to compete for the trophy. The big teams have put their feet to the floor when they could have treated these matches like glorified friendlies, and the fans here in America have been given a great show.
Let's take a look at the winners and losers of the FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinal round.
FIFA Club World Cup Winners
Thibaut Courtois
When the clock hit 90:00, Real Madrid were 2-0 up and seemed headed for an easy win. Stoppage time turned insane, however, with Dortmund scoring two and Kylian Mbappé’s scissor-kick keeping Real in the lead. With the last kick of the game, Marcel Sabitzer brought down Yan Couto’s cross and sent a shot into the low corner of the net, but Courtois got down and saved the win by stopping what would have been an equalizing goal that forced extra time. That clutch save sets up a mouth-watering semifinal against Paris St. Germain-F.C. (PSG).
Real Madrid’s left-sided Garcías
To answer your question: no, Gonzalo García Torres and Fran García Torres are not related to each other, even though they have the same paternal and maternal surnames (and even though they look alike). Xabi Alonso could have started Mbappé in the quarterfinal, but he chose to reward Gonzalo at left wing after he scored against Juventus. The youngster repaid his faith within 10 minutes by directing Arda Güler’s cross into Dortmund’s net. Ten minutes later, it was Fran who struck from the left-back position by converting Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross. Alonso’s youth movement in Madrid starts here.
Chelsea’s new arrivals
Wearing number 20 after coming over from Brighton, João Pedro did not get on the scoresheet but slotted in effortlessly off the bench by linking up well with Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke in their win over Palmeiras. However, the fireworks on July 4th in Philadelphia came from Estêvão, playing his last game for Palmeiras against the team that already had him signed and will welcome him next season. The Brazilian teenager blew by Levi Colwill and then finished from a tight angle past Robert Sánchez, off the crossbar, and in. The Blues’ offense already looked better with João Pedro and Madueke replacing Liam Delap and Christopher Nkunku, but with Estêvão added to the mix? Now’s the time for Chelsea fans to dream of the possibilities.
Fluminense and Al-Hilal
Cinderella runs do tend to end eventually, but Al-Hilal made their Brazilian opponents work for their win after gifting them the first goal (see the losers’ section). They might have equalized via the penalty spot just before the half when Marcos Leonardo got clipped on the back of the leg in the box, though referee Danny Makkelie’s penalty call was overturned by VAR. The Brazilian striker actually did equalize from a rebound shortly after halftime and goalkeeper Yassine Bounou stopped Germán Cano on a breakaway, but substitute Hércules grabbed the match-winner off a loose ball and Fábio (at 44, the oldest player left in this tournament) made a desperate save from Kalidou Koulibaly deep in stoppage time to advance Fluminense to the semifinal against Chelsea. It was a pulsating game from two teams that weren’t supposed to get this far, and while Al-Hilal leaves with a greatly raised profile, Big Flu can dream of getting to a final.
FIFA Club World Cup Losers
Real Madrid’s logjam at left-wing
With Gonzalo, Mbappé, and Vinícius Júnior all preferring to set up on the left, somebody will have to learn to play in the middle or the right wing, or else leave the team. Too much talent is a great problem to have, but the way things are, opposing defenses will be looking for ways to play everybody on the right side.
Manuel Neuer
Good thing he extended his contract with Bayern through next season, because I’m sure he wouldn’t want to end his glittering career with that game. He should have conceded a goal when he ventured way out of his net only to serve the ball up to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and he stood flat-footed when Désiré Doué’s shot flew past him for PSG’s opener.
Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez
PSG are through to the semis, but now the European champions will be facing Real Madrid with half of their starting defense suspended, after Pacho planted his studs on the leg of Leon Goretzka and Hernandez elbowed Raphaël Guerreiro, both in the last 10 minutes of the match. It will likely be Nuno Mendes and Presnel Kimpembe starting against a Real team that has its tails up.
João Cancelo
It’s a defender’s job to know when to pass a loose ball forward and when to put it over the end line for a corner kick. The former Manchester City, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich right-back made the wrong decision and gave the ball to Gabriel Fuentes, who rolled it inside for Matheus Martinelli to open the scoring.
Dean Huijsen
Real Madrid just acquired him from Bournemouth, and the Dutch defender made an impression in stoppage time by pulling back Serhou Guirassy, which conceded a penalty and got him sent off. It was a bad start to his career for los blancos.