On June 28, in the last round of the 2025 Club World Cup group stage, Saudi Arabian giants Al Hilal defeated Mexican team Pachuca 2-0 with goals from captain Salim Dossari and Leonardo, and successfully advanced to the round of 16 as the runner-up of Group H, becoming the only Asian representative to qualify in this tournament. At the same time, Real Madrid defeated Salzburg 3-0 and advanced as the group leader.

This crucial battle took place on the morning of June 27. Al Hilal showed a strong balance between offense and defense, remaining unbeaten in three group matches and conceding only one goal. Its defensive performance was tied with Paris Saint-Germain and Monterrey for the best in this tournament .

In the 22nd minute, Dosari, who had scored against Argentina in the 2022 World Cup, played a key role again and broke the deadlock for Hilal. In the stoppage time, Brazilian rising star Leonardo sealed the victory with the assist of Neves, helping Hilal advance with a one-point advantage over Salzburg.

Although the team's top star Neymar, who was introduced earlier, has left the team, Hilal's lineup is still strong, with many European players such as Portuguese international Neves, former Premier League defender Koulibaly and striker Mitrovic, and is one of the dark horses of this tournament.

Al Hilal, who had one win and two draws in the group stage, will face Manchester City, coached by Guardiola, in the round of 16. This tough match is seen as an important match to test the strength of the Saudi team. Coach Inzaghi said after the game: " We are not here to participate, but to challenge the world's top teams. Playing against Manchester City will be a valuable learning opportunity, and I am proud of the players. "

Except for Al Hilal, the other three Asian teams - Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan, Ulsan Hyundai of South Korea and Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates - failed to break through and were eliminated in the group stage.

On the other hand, Real Madrid defeated Salzburg 3-0 with Vinicius, Valverde and Garcia , winning the first place. In particular, Vinicius not only scored his first goal in the Club World Cup, but also made a wonderful assist, showing his good form. Real Madrid will face Serie A powerhouse Juventus in the round of 16 , which lost 2-5 to Manchester City in the final round and qualified as the second in Group G.