Xabi Alonso Chooses Gonzalo Over Mbappe: Takeaways From Real Madrid's Club World Cup Victory vs. Dortmund

The Club World Cup final is often a stage for established superstars to cement their legacies, but for Real Madrid, their recent triumph over Borussia Dortmund served as a powerful declaration of Xabi Alonso's burgeoning managerial philosophy. In a move that sent ripples through the footballing world, Alonso, the architect of Real’s tactical renaissance, opted to start the tenacious young midfielder Gonzalo Pérez ahead of the much-anticipated Kylian Mbappe, a decision that ultimately underpinned their hard-fought victory. This wasn't merely a surprising personnel choice; it was a profound statement on trust, tactical flexibility, and the value of collective cohesion over individual brilliance, even when that individual is one of the planet's most electrifying talents.