JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — In the historic center of Jeddah, in the old city center, is a soccer pitch. It’s not much: a rough, artificial turf surface and two small goals. There are floodlights, and white lines painted on the ground, but no seats for spectators. It is surrounded by dilapidated walls, half-abandoned buildings and a few palm trees. This is football, as it has always been everywhere.
But the game has changed. 2034 FIFA World Cup is coming Cristiano Ronaldo Here I play. Saudi Pro Leagueand so on. Karim BenzemaIn Jeddah Union. And 20 miles north of that pitch — an hour’s drive on a good day with traffic — is another venue: inside the 62,000-capacity Al Jawhara Stadium in King Abdullah Sports City, the 2025 venue. Spanish Supercopa.
A football pitch in Jeddah. But not where tonight’s Clasico was played. Upcoming piece for Supercopa @ESPNFC… pic.twitter.com/QNTSFRX9In
— Alex Kirkland (@alexkirkland) January 12, 2025
The tournament has been held in Saudi Arabia since 2020 — with a year off for the pandemic — switching between Jeddah and the capital Riyadh. Its latest iteration pits last season’s top two La Liga Terminators and Copa del Rey Finalists against each other in the Final Four. The contract signed with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) until 2029 is worth around 40 million euros per year. Half of that goes to the clubs.
Everyone here wants to, except for the fans of the other two teams involved. Real Madrid–Barcelona The ultimate is the raison d’être of the revamped tournament: to bring a competitive edge ClassicoWith a trophy at stake, Saudi Arabia, with all the attention — and profit — that generates.
“Are you going to the game?” asked a baggage handler excitedly at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport. “I hope it will be Real Madrid versus Barcelona. It will be a beautiful final.”
And this was his third. Classico Consecutive Super Copa Finals after Barca 3-1 2023 and Madrid win 4-1 Victory in 2024. On Sunday 5-2 Win for Barcelona everything. Seven goals. A penalty. A red card. These games are inherently unpredictable, Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti explained the day before.
“The quality prevails,” Ancelotti said. “There is so much individual quality that it overcomes the collective, which is above all in defense.”
As it turned out, it wasn’t a bad summary. Individual standards? For Barcelona, it meant Lamin yamel, Rapunha And Robert Lewandowski. For Madrid: Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr.
Defense Not so much.
Flaws from both teams added to the drama. Barcelona had two chances to score in the first five minutes alone. Thibaut Courtois Yamal’s curling shot saved and then Rafinha’s header. But less than a minute later, Madrid went on the counter-attack, with Mbappé running from the halfway line, turning. Alejandro Balde. In lumps before shooting across the goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
Mbappé’s first ClassicoIn La Liga in October, there was a misfire: Madrid lost. 4-0 And Mbappé suffered a mini-crisis of faith, Holds the record eight times. Through Barcelona’s brutally tight offside trap. Here his confidence was very high. Madrid have played in three finals this season. UEFA Super Cupthe FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the Spanish Supercopa. Mbappé has scored in all of them. Soon he was brushing off challenges, Ronaldo Nazario style, before being brought down, his ankle hurting.
But Barcelona’s possession was already staggering with 83 percent of the ball in the first 20 minutes. And it wasn’t long before they equalised, a quick move that ended with Lewandowski playing in Yamal, who did what he does — cut inside, Lionel MessiAs, and ending the left foot past Courtois. The goals kept coming. Barca were awarded a penalty in the 35th minute, after a VAR check. Eduardo Camavanga was caught Gavi with its roots. Lewandowski scored to make it 2-1.
It was already exactly the spectacle the federation and the Saudis wanted, two of the biggest clubs in the world clashing. But then Barcelona found another gear, and Real Madrid collapsed.
“They scored easily,” Ancelotti said afterwards. “We lost a couple of times. I don’t need to name anyone, I’m talking about the whole team, we didn’t defend well.”
Barcelona had two more goals before half-time, Rafinha powering in a header over Courtois, and Balde scoring in the final nine minutes of extra time. It was 4-1, and on the Barcelona bench, the substitutes and staff were jumping in the air in celebration. Ancelotti made changes, brought Danny Ceballos For Kamavanga — who was given a yellow card — and Rodrigo Hitting the crossbar from an offside position gave Madrid hope. But a minute later, Rafinha scored again. 5-1.
Inside the stadium, Real Madrid fans sat quietly. The people of Barcelona could hardly believe what was happening. The game was over as a contest, but still, the action kept coming. Mbappé went past Szczesny and was brought down on the edge of the box, the keeper dispatched, Barca down to 10 men. Rodrigo converted the free kick into a goal. There was also time for Dani Olmo –whose availability for the tournament was in doubt until then. Spain’s Ministry of Sports ordered that he be temporarily re-registered. As a Barça player — to play the last half hour. By the time the final whistle blew, many Madrid fans had left their seats and headed for the exits.
Barcelona’s win is emblematic of a season that has so far been defined by its uncertainty. Barcelona were unstoppable early on as they took the lead in La Liga. Then their form fell apart, as Madrid slowly found themselves, and Bellingham started to score. But Barça have not always played badly in defeat, and Madrid have often been unconvincing in victory. And right now, midway through the season, no team is top of La Liga: this one Atletico Madridwho killed in silence. Osasuna 1-0 In the league on Sunday.
What happens in the second half of the season is anyone’s guess, but it was a triumphant night of rebirth for Barcelona, coach Hansi Flick and his players, and a major blow for Madrid, who have missed out on many finals. Don’t lose, definitely don’t lose five. Objectives
And it was a great night for the Spanish Football Federation. Selling such products is easy.
“For us [Saudis]football belongs to two countries: Brazil And Spain“Fahd, a driver and security guard told me before the game. This is a wonderful company. After winning Euro 2024Spain returned, the image of the national team was restored. After this Supercopa also Barcelona.