Three Real Madrid players who performed disappointingly in the Club World Cup: Will Rodrigo return?

Real Madrid's performance in the 2025 Club World Cup ended with a much lower-than-expected result. Not only did they fail to win the championship, they were shamelessly defeated by Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals by 0-4. This result became a serious stain on Real Madrid's seemingly bright journey.

Under Habi Alonso, Real Madrid performed very convincingly in the early stages of the game. They suffered no losses and won a lot of praise after defeating Salzburg and Juventus. Some players like Gonzalo Garcia and Arda Goul have been excellent throughout the game and have received positive attention.

However, not all players can show their best. While many young players shine, some players also perform lower than expected. Here are three Real Madrid players considered the most disappointing at the 2025 Club World Cup.

Rodrigo

2025 World Cup qualifiers should have become the stage for Rodrigo's rise. He once brought hope in the opener and created opportunities that led to goals. However, his performance dropped sharply afterwards.

Habbi Alonso gradually moved him to the bench and even did not give him a starting chance in important matches against Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain. Rodrigo played as a substitute in just two games after his first game, and in other games he couldn't even count on the sidelines. The minimum playing time Rodrigo has won not only raises questions about Alonso’s trust in him, but also speculation about his future at the Bernabeu Stadium in Santiago. With the interest of several Premier League clubs such as Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea, the possibility of Rodrigo finding new challenges after this championship cannot be ignored.

Ruel Asensio

Ruel Asensio's name may not be very familiar to fans, but he was frequently used by Carlo Ancelotti last season. However, in events like the International Club Cup, the Castilla Academic Graduate performed well below expectations.

Asencio often makes mistakes in three appearances. He won a free kick foul against Riyadh and was sent off with a red card against Pachuca and made a fatal mistake in the semifinals of Paris Saint-Germain, which was used by Fabian Ruiz to score his first goal by Paris Saint-Germain.

With this performance, Asensio's position in Real Madrid's main lineup is also threatened. For the moment, he seems to have to compete fiercely with other defenders such as Antonio Rudiger, Ed Militon and young and talented player Dean Hughes.

Vinitius Junior

The expectations for Vinicius Junior have always been high. However, at the 2025 World Club Cup, Winnie was unable to respond to these expectations. Although he didn't perform very badly, he performed well below the standard he usually showed.

In the six games he participated, Winnie scored only one goal and sent one assist, both of which were obtained against RB Salzburg. After that, his contribution was almost unaware. He has also been frequently criticized for his lack of help during the defensive phase.

However, last season, Winnie was on the shortlist for the Golden Globes with his outstanding performance. But this time, he seemed to lose his acuity and aggressiveness. When Madrid was in desperate need of his presence in the semifinals against Paris Saint-Germain, Winnie failed to make a meaningful impact.