Zidane It is fundamental that Cristiano Ronaldo stays at Real Madrid until he retires

Zidane It is fundamental that Cristiano Ronaldo stays at Real Madrid until he retires

The lingering doubt around Cristiano Ronaldo's future remains a concern for Zinedine Zidane, who wants to see the forward stick around at Real Madrid as long as possible after firing the winner in the Club World Cup final.

With a free-kick early in the second-half of Sunday's encounter with Gremio, Ronaldo sent Los Blancos to their second straight crowning as the champions of the world in Abu Dhabi.

"It is fundamental for us that Ronaldo stays until the very end," Zidane told his post-match press conference. "This is his home.

"I hope he stays here until the end, until the day he retires. We all know what he can do out on the pitch."

Zidane himself now has an incredible haul of trophies in a short spell at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, with the Frenchman pleased to overtake Spanish icon Vicente del Bosque's record.

"I think most about LaLiga because that is the most demanding," he contemplated.

"This is a very good moment for Real Madrid. I don't know if it's golden, but we're doing very well. We're doing something very important.

"I think my tally is very good. I didn't expect to be up with del Bosque. You have to congratulate the players because what they are doing isn't easy."

The single goal beating of Brazilian outfit Gremio was hardly a classic, but the coach was nonetheless exultant about his side's efforts.

"We played very well, with intensity," said Zidane. "We were great.

"When we start playing like that, it is very tough for our opponents. I'm very happy."

Los Blancos now travel back to Spain to rest and soak up their latest triumph before heading into the Christmas Clasico on December 23.

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Florentino Real will be improved but it is best not to touch when things are going well

Florentino Real will be improved but it is best not to touch when things are going well

Having just won another Club World Cup trophy, Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez, noted that the team will be improved at some point, but that it was best left alone whilst they were playing so well.

A 1-0 victory over Gremio was never in doubt after the Brazilian's offered nothing across the 90 minutes.

"Everyone tells us that we are a great team and that we are just winners," Perez said to reporters after the game.

"That we give the best version in the finals.

"It's true, we're used to winning them."

The January transfer window is just a few weeks away and rumours have suggested that Real will be in the market for new players.

"Every team is susceptible to improvement," the president continued.

"But when things go well the best thing is not to touch.

"We have young players who are going to be important soon, and now we want to enjoy what we have."

Cristiano Ronaldo was the match winner once again, and Perez had no time for anyone daring to question the Portuguese talisman.

"To question Cristiano is to question Madrid and almost question football," he noted.

"He always shows his ambition."

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Modric claims 2017 Club World Cup golden ball

Modric claims 2017 Club World Cup golden ball

There can be no arguments after Luka Modric was handed the golden ball award as the best player at the 2017 Club World Cup.

Magnificent in orchestrating the play in both of Real Madrid's wins, the Croatian came within inches of getting his name on the scoresheet as his team beat Gremio 1-0 on Sunday.

Named the man of the match in the semi-final victory over Al-Jazira, Modric came ahead of teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the silver ball for the tournament and the man of the match prize for the final.

Coming third was Pachuca winger Jonathan Urretaviscaya, as decided by the FIFA technical committee.

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Why did Cristiano Ronaldo celebrate his goal with Lucas Vazquez?

Why did Cristiano Ronaldo celebrate his goal with Lucas Vazquez?

Real Madrid's exceptional 2017 improved yet further on Saturday evening with the club winning a second successive Club World Cup, though Cristiano Ronaldo's celebration with Lucas Vazquez specifically, has raised questions.

His 53rd minute free-kick took advantage of a poorly structured Gremio defensive wall in a match that was closely contested to that point.

Upon realising the ball had hit the net, the Portuguese forward ran to the bench in search of the Galician midfielder, who in turn ran onto the pitch to embrace his teammate.

Following the conclusion of the match, Vazquez shed a degree of light onto the situation in his post-match interview.

"I told Cristiano he was going to score," he explained.

"That's why he rushed towards me."

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Maradona the first to congratulate Florentino Perez on Club World Cup win

Maradona the first to congratulate Florentino Perez on Club World Cup win

Perhaps Florentino Perez maybe wasn't expecting the first man to embrace him after Real Madrid won the Club World Cup to be Diego Maradona, but so it was on Saturday evening.

Sitting in the royal box at Zayed Sports City Stadium, the champions' president was congratulated by the Argentine as well as FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Maradona was present at the final in his role as a FIFA ambassador, watching on as Cristiano Ronaldo bagged the only goal in a 1-0 win.

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Cristiano Ronaldo scores his 34th free-kick for Real Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo scores his 34th free-kick for Real Madrid

After a frustrating first-half in which the Brazilian side kept the European champions at bay, Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo broke the deadlock in the Club World Cup final against Gremio with his 34th free-kick for the club.

Despite having suffered a drought from set-pieces in recent times in comparison to his earlier years, the former Manchester United forward has generally been prolific from direct free-kicks.

Saturday evening was no different as he netted after 53 minutes, his first effort in the opening 45 minutes acting merely as a sighter having flown over the bar.

Ronaldo was fouled in the build-up to the goal and scored his seventh goal in the Club World Cup, affirming his position as the tournament's all-time highest scorer with his first coming with the English club back in 2008.

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Varane Real Madrid have had a fantastic 2017

Varane Real Madrid have had a fantastic 2017

After a well deserved Club World Cup final success against Gremio, Real Madrid's Raphael Varane pondered the wonderful 2017 that his club has had.

Five trophies across the year has made the current side the most successful in Los Blancos' 115-year history.

"We are happy," he said to reporters after the match.

"It hasn't been easy but we worked hard and have had a fantastic 2017."

Asked what he felt were the ingredients for success, Varane spoke in glowing terms about his teammates.

"The talent in the team is incredible," he continued.

"It's very difficult to win these finals, but we will continue fighting for more titles."

On a day when only one man wrote the headlines, the French defender praised Real's Portuguese marksman.

"It's always Cristiano," he said.

"Nobody should ever doubt his ability."

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Will Barcelona form a guard of honour for world champions Real Madrid?

Will Barcelona form a guard of honour for world champions Real Madrid?

Once again the Clasico has coincided with Real Madrid returning home for a triumphant Club World Cup campaign, with all eyes now on Barcelona and whether they will erect a guard of honour on December 23.

Last season, the Blaugrana decided not to after Los Blancos won in Japan and played their subsequent LaLiga game at the Camp Nou.

In addition, the Catalans also made no such salute to recognise Real's UEFA Super Cup win as they faced off in the Supercopa de Espana in August, although that would have been somewhat unusual.

And yet, Valencia produced a guard of honour for Madrid in January of 2015 with Real Betis doing likewise for Barcelona the season after.

There is no real precedent to follow in these circumstances, then, with Pep Guardiola once asking for L'Hospitalet to avoid the tribute, deeming that his side had celebrated enough, although Villarreal did form one for them in 2010.

Furthermore, Granada gave no such recognition to Real Madrid on one occasion as the club had prepared the teams to come out alongside their own tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo's latest Ballon d'Or triumph of the day.

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Ronaldo with the world at his feet

Ronaldo with the world at his feet

Ablazing free-kick from Cristiano Ronaldo was all that Real Madrid needed to top Gremio 1-0 in the final of the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup on Saturday night at the Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

For Real, it marks their third Club World Cup title in the tournament's current format, tying them for first all-time with rivals Barcelona. Meanwhile, the goal for Ronaldo was the seventh for the Portuguese in Club World Cup competition.

Real were largely in control for the bulk of the match, and once Ronaldo scored via his free-kick, Gremio's chances of an upset dwindled significantly. Luka Modric was a force to be reckoned with in midfield and put his stamp on the affair with another superb performance.

Defenders Dani Carvajal and Sergio Ramos and midfielder Toni Kroos all returned to Zinedine Zidane's starting XI after being on the bench against Al-Jazira in the semi-final, giving Real the same line-up the started against Juventus in the Champions League final. This also meant another start on the bench for semifinal hero Gareth Bale.

It was a cagey start, with Real taking the initiative but Gremio doing well to close down on spaces in their own half. Things started loosening up around the 20th minute mark when a bullet from Carvajal was cleared by Geromel in front of goal. That was followed by a low-driven shot from Luka Modric that just sailed wide of the post.

Gremio were doing themselves no favours. Luan, in particular, was imprecise in leading the Brazilians' attack and it made for easy work for the Real defence. Their first chance came near the half-hour mark from a long-range free-kick from Edilson that whistled above Keylor Navas' crossbar.

There was more urgency to Real's play to start the second-half, and after using some fancy footwork to draw a foul near the Gremio area, Ronaldo fired in a rocket of a free-kick that went screaming through a hole in the Gremio wall and into net for the 1-0 lead.

Real were brimming with confidence after the goal and thought that Ronaldo had scored a second after he hammered in a right-footer off a header from Karim Benzema, but the linesman ruled that the French striker had received a pass from Marcelo in an offside position.

With way more space in which to work, the chances kept flowing for Los Blancos, and a Modric shot from outside the area almost made it two, only for the ball to smack off the post.

Despite all their dominance, it was still just a one-goal advantage for Zidane's men heading into the final 15 minutes. The French boss brought on Bale for Benzema to finish off the Copa Libertadores winners. The Welshman was an immediate threat and forced a finger-tip save out of Gremio goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe.

At the other end Navas was never truly troubled, and Real comfortably saw out the final minutes to clinch their fifth title of 2017 before turning their attention to next Saturday's Clasico versus Barcelona.

Match Sheet:

1.- Real Madrid: Keylor; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Isco (Lucas Vazquez, min. 73), Casemiro, Kroos, Modric; Cristiano, Benzema (Bale, min. 79)

0.- Gremio: Marcelo Grohe; Edilson, Geromel, Kannemann, Cortez; Jailson, Michel (Maicon, min. 84); Ramiro (Everton, min. 71), Luan, Fernandinho; Lucas Barrios (Jael, min. 63).

Goals: 1-0, min. 53: Ronaldo

Referee: Cesar Ramos (Mexico). Yellow Cards: Casemiro (Min. 27) for Real Madrid

Red cards: None

Stadium: Zayed Sports City

Attendance: 43.000

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Real Madrid, king of the finals

Real Madrid, king of the finals

At the highest level, Real Madrid continue to perform and the LaLiga giants have now reached their 15th European Cup final, more than any other club in the continent.

Glory awaits them in Cardiff, where they will have the opportunity to win their 12th title against Juventus.

It would affirm their dominance and love affair with the competition, with Real performing like fish in water when it comes to the Champions League.

They are also one step away from winning successive Champions League crowns, something that no team has managed in the modern era, with the last team to do so being Arrigo Sacchi's Milan under the old model.RTRPIX

Juventus are the side lying in wait for Los Blancos but they are associated with pleasant memories in this competition as it was the Italians who they overcame to win their seventh at the Amsterdam Arena.

Since the arrival of Jose Mourinho, Real reached three straight semi-finals, coming up short on each occasion, before achieving La Decima under Carlo Ancelotti, who qualified for another semi-final a year later, where his side were beaten by Juventus.

The last two seasons, under Zinedine Zidane, have resulted in the Frenchman leading the club to two consecutive finals.

Of the 14 finals Real have reached, more than any other club, they have been defeated on just three occasions, against Benfica in 1962, by Inter two years later and finally in 1981 when Liverpool beat them in Paris.

The rest resulted in Madrid coming out on top, in 1956 against Stade de Reims, beating Italian opposition in Fiorentina and Milan in the two years which followed, before defeating Stade de Reims again for four in a row and continuing their dominance with a win over Eintracht Frankfurt in 1960.

Partizan were beaten in 1966 and a 32-year wait for their next win was ended against Juventus in 1998, which led to wins over Valencia in 2000 and Bayer Leverkusen in 2002.

Their next two victories in 2014 and 2016 both saw them overcome city rivals Atletico Madrid and deny Diego Simeone's men a first-ever win in the competition.

There is no doubt that the current crop of players are all very much aware of the weight of history at the club in the competition, which is why they celebrated reaching the final so joyously.

Everyone wore t-shirts on the Estadio Vicente Calderon field which marked the occasion and the party continued back into the dressing room where the whoops of delight could be heard throughout the inner confines of the stadium.

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