Real Madrid wins the Intercontinental Youth Cup at the Bernabeu

Real Madrid's Juvenil A lifted the Under‑20 Intercontinental Cup by beating the Chilean Santiago Wanderers 3‑1 in the final held at the Santiago Bernabéu, the tournament's first edition in Europe, in front of a record audience of 52,117 spectators.

Before the match, Real Madrid's Juvenil A had won its second youth Champions League in May by defeating Bruges. According to the EFE agency, Real Madrid had secured its second youth Champions League. Meanwhile, the Chilean Santiago Wanderers arrived as the Under‑20 Libertadores champions after beating Flamengo. The Chilean side, coached by Felipe Salinas, had handed possession to Real Madrid and were looking for counter‑attacks to exploit the spaces.

Line‑up and appearances

Coach Álvaro López fielded a line‑up that included several regulars from José Mourinho's selections, such as Cestero and Alexis Ciria. Both Mourinho and president Florentino Pérez took seats in the Bernabéu stands to witness the final, underscoring the event's importance. This was the first edition of the Under‑20 Intercontinental Cup to be played in Europe, specifically at the Santiago Bernabéu.

The 52,117 spectators present set an attendance record for a youth club match. The atmosphere intensified when, before the fifth minute, Joan Martínez attempted a strike that failed to find the back of the net. Santiago Wanderers produced two more shots before halftime, but the score remained 1‑0.

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Incidents and numerical advantage

Santiago Wanderers were reduced to ten men in the 25th minute when Alexander Dubó received a second yellow card and was sent off after a tackle on Daniel Yáñez. Later, Valenzuela accumulated two cautions (minutes 85 and 87) which resulted in the team's second sending‑off, and Carvacho received a direct red in the 96th minute for protesting, leaving the Chileans with eight players. Facing the numerical disadvantage, Wanderers made their first substitution and reshuffled positions on the field to try to stay competitive.

Real Madrid's first goal came when a shot from the Madrid winger hit the post and went in without anyone touching it, putting the score 1‑0. In the second half, a mistake by Mario Rivas allowed Christian Silva to equalise at the 49th minute. After substituting Cestero for Fran Santamaría, the striker headed a cross from Fortea's right to make it 2‑1 in the 81st minute. Roberto completed the victory with the third goal in the 99th minute, after a play that finished in the opponent's area.

Referee Damian Sylwestrzak from Poland showed the red card to Dubó and the second cautions to Valenzuela and Carvacho. He also booked Ciria, Amaro Silva, Villarroel, Vicente Vargas and Denilson, as well as local players at various moments of the match.

With the victory, Real Madrid adds another international title to its youth trophy cabinet, while the attendance figure highlights the growing appeal of Under‑20 tournaments. The match was the final of the Under‑20 Intercontinental Cup, consolidating the competition's prestige on a global level.