The Italian coach became Real Madrid's most successful coach in their long history.
Carlo Ancelotti's big smile during the trophy presentation might seem normal to the untrained eye. Winning a piece of silverware at any level is a worthy achievement, and even more so at Real Madrid, where every moment of success helps cement their image as the greatest club in the world.
But those who watch Ancelotti speak every week would hesitate if I called his actions on Europe's sidelines 'performances', as the Italian coach remains one of the most reserved and unassuming figures in football globally. That's exactly why this smile, after Real Madrid defeated Pachuca in the Intercontinental Cup final, was so refreshing.
And there was a good reason behind the grin: Ancelotti had just become Real Madrid's most successful coach ever.
In the match, Real Madrid took the lead in the first half thanks to a goal from Kylian Mbappé. The Spaniards went into halftime with a lead before Rodrygo Goes struck from distance to double the lead.
Despite the efforts of the Liga MX team, they were unable to maintain their high-intensity performance from the opening stages and eventually dropped out; after Lucas Vázquez was brought down in the penalty area with just a few minutes to go, 'The Best' winner Vini Jr slotted past Carlos Moreno from the spot to seal the result.
'We have to think about 2025'
“It obviously feels very good,” he said after the match when asked about his emotions after the ultimately comfortable victory in Qatar. “We are very happy; I'm very happy. It's something very important. We ended 2024 in spectacular fashion; we couldn't have done more. But as always with Real Madrid, we now have to think about 2025.
As for Los Blancos winning a record 15 trophies, Ancelotti admitted he “really enjoyed it”.
“When I look back and see that I have won so much for so many years, it makes me happy. I'm happy. But I always keep in mind what Real Madrid is: a club that requires spectacular concentration. We must keep going for more.”
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