bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Reuters

Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice as a rampant Real Madrid side, featuring the most expensive strike force ever assembled, powered to a 2-0 win over Sevilla in an all-Spanish Uefa Super Cup on Tuesday.
It was a thoroughly deserved victory before a 33,500 crowd at the Cardiff City Stadium in the traditional curtain-raiser to the European club season.
Europa League holders Sevilla battled well but were outclassed by the Champions League winners.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men dominated from start to finish with Ronaldo producing two sublime finishes to beat keeper Beto, his Portugal team mate, after 30 and 49 minutes while Sevilla were restricted to just two chances.
The first opportunity for Sevilla came after 20 minutes when Vitolo forced Iker Casillas to make a block at the near post and the second arrived in the closing stages when Grzegorz Krychowiak prompted an acrobatic save from the experienced keeper.
Real were superior in defence, midfield and attack with Ronaldo showing no sign of the knee injury that blighted his 2014 World Cup campaign in Brazil.

After being presented with the Man of the Match trophy by his former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, Ronaldo said: “It’s the first official match of the season and I was not sure how I would feel.
“But I felt good and had no problems, I didn’t feel any pain.
“We realised it was going to be a hard game but we played well, created more opportunities and played better and with more intensity and we were the worthy winners.”

Ronaldo praised debutants Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez, now at Real after both enjoyed a successful World Cup.
Kroos helped Germany become world champions while Rodriguez was the tournament’s top scorer with six goals for Colombia.
The pair played well in Cardiff with Kroos in a deep midfield role and Rodriguez part of Real’s expensive four-man attack which cost in the region of HK$3.5 billion.

Although the European champions only scored twice, they could easily have had six or seven goals.
“We did our best but Real are a very good team and they were better than us tonight,” said Sevilla coach Unai Emery after a typically passionate and animated performance on the touchline.
Counterpart Ancelotti said Real would be even stronger this season than they were last term.
“We played very well especially bearing in mind we haven’t had much time to prepare for the game,” the Italian added. “We controlled the game and Kroos and James played well.

“[Midfielder] Xabi Alonso was not playing tonight but he will play a very important part this season. We are now more competitive in every position and no one player can play 65 games, it’s not possible.
“We might be starting on a very important winning cycle, we have a set of outstanding players and an exceptional squad and we can stay at the highest of heights and compete in all competitions,” said Ancelotti.
Ronaldo began the move that led to the first goal inside his own half and finished it by sliding in to convert a deadly accurate crossfield pass from Wales winger Bale.
Benzema and Kroos were involved in the second goal and Ronaldo supplied a thunderous left-foot shot that Beto got a hand to but could not stop.
Bale, playing a club match in Cardiff for the first time in eight years, was cheered every time he touched the ball.
The closest he came to a goal was in the dying minutes when he struck a fierce effort that Beto saved well.


Hong Kong toy fair unveils new pavilion for collectors and global brands

Horoscopes: what’s your luck like in January 2026, Earth Ox month – before we head into Fire Horse year?

Year in football: expansion, mismatches point to direction Fifa will take ‘beautiful game’

Fifa World Cup draw: who Asian teams will play, how Ronaldo v Messi could happen

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo ensures megabucks Madrid lift Uefa Super Cup

Real celebrate with the trophy. Photo: EPA

Real lifted their first silverware of the season. Photo: EPA

James Rodriguez battles for the ball. Photo: EPA

Gareth Bale was given a hero's welcome by his hometown crowd in Cardiff. Photo: EPA

New boy Toni Kroos in action. Photo: AFP

Ronaldo, Bale and Rodriguez with the trophy. Photo: Reuters

Sport

Football

Portuguese shines brightest as Real's galaxy of stars run rampant against Sevilla


Cristiano Ronaldo ensures megabucks Madrid lift Uefa Super Cup

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Portuguese shines brightest as Real's galaxy of stars run rampant against Sevilla

Portuguese shines brightest as Real's galaxy of stars run rampant against Sevilla