Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium will host the first game of Group H, where the Spanish giants Real Madrid play Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal. The match starts at 3 PM local time (18th June), while the Indian fans can watch the match live at 12:30 AM (19th June). Both teams have some big names. Let’s give you our Top Players to Watch in the Real Madrid vs Al Hilal game.
This is going to be Xabi Alonso’s first game as Real Madrid’s manager, and we have a lot of questions, like who starts, what the tactics are, and more. Xabi will want to start his campaign on a positive note. The training videos suggest he is very demanding in terms of the style he wants to implement with all these players on the field. It will be a great watch.
The most successful team in Saudi Arabia, Al Hilal, has just signed a new manager, Simone Inzaghi. We know Inzaghi’s capabilities, but it will take time for him to settle with the team. This is going to be his first game as the manager of Al Hilal.
More Stories: Top 10 Best Young Football Managers in World Right now
Top Players to Watch: Real Madrid vs Al Hilal
Real Madrid has made three signings so far, but only Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen will play in the FIFA Club World Cup. Franco Mastantuono will join after the FIFA Club World Cup. Basically, Al Hilal also has some of the big European names in their team. Let us look at the players to watch in this match between Real Madrid and Al Hilal. ‘
Real Madrid
Vinicius Jr.
Vinicius Jr. will obviously be one of the most important players in this era of Xabi Alonso. The beast that Ancelloti has made Vinicius and represented him to the world was just phenomenal. Now, we will be excited to see what his role would be in Xabi’s team.
Vinicius’s ability to take on the defenders and create chances for his striker is just unmatched. He is a potential Ballon d’Or winner in the upcoming years.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
There are a lot of other players to watch out for as well in this Real Madrid team, but everyone has their eyes on how Trent Alexander-Arnold will play.
After getting exposed a lot of times on the right side through Lucas Vazquez, Trent is a very big and the best upgrade they could get. Defensively, he will be covered by Valverde, and let’s wait to see what he will provide offensively.
Al Hilal
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic
He is surely the main man in the midfield of Al Hlial. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic had played more than eight years for Lazio in the Italian league, Serie A. He has the experience and surely helps the youngsters of the team.
Savic has those powerful long shots in his legs, and his aerial ability helps win the duels. He can help defensively as well as offensively.
Joao Cancelo
Cancelo was injured, but the manager confirmed he is back and trained with the team. He will most likely start the match, as they are facing one of the best teams in the world.
Cancelo, at one time, was the best fullback, but he made a shocking move to Al Hilal. His role in the team is to play more as an inverted full-back.
Predicted lineups
Kylian Mbappe is a big doubt for this game as he is suffering from a fever. Xabi Alonso might not risk him as he has got other players to play in that position. On the other hand, Simone Inzaghi has confirmed Aleksandar Mitrovic will miss the match.
Real Madrid expected XI (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper – Thibaut Courtois
Defenders – Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, Raul Asencio, and Fran Garcia
Midfielder – Jude Bellingham, Fede Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Arda Guler
Attackers – Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo
Al Hilal expected XI (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper – Yassine Bounou
Defenders – Joao Cancelo, Kalidou Koulibaly, Khalifah Al-Dawsari, and Ali Al-Bulaihi
Midfielder – Renan Lodi, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and Ruben Neves
Attackers – Malcom, Marcos Leonardo, and Abdullah Al-Hamdan
Also Check: How to Watch FIFA Club World Cup 2025 in India: TV Channels, OTT Options and Match Timings
Betting tips
- Tip 1 – Real Madrid to win
The last time they faced was in the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup Final, where they won the game 5-3. They might be with a new manager, but surely we are backing them to win the game convincingly.
- Tip 2 – Vinicius Jr to score
In the absence of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr will be the main man to score the goals for Real Madrid. With the leader in attack, Vinicius Jr will have his name on the score in the game against Al Hilal.
