On the eve of Real Madrid’s Club World Cup opener against Al Hilal, Dean Huijsen, Brahim Díaz, and Dani Ceballos addressed the media at the team’s base in Palm Beach, offering early impressions of new head coach Xabi Alonso, the Florida training conditions, and the team’s ambitions.
Dean Huijsen: “Real Madrid wants to win everything”
Young center-back Dean Huijsen reflected on his first days under Xabi Alonso and what it means to be part of this Real Madrid squad.
“Everyone knows what he has been and what he is,” Huijsen said of Alonso. “As a coach he’s also accomplished great things and as a player the same. We’re all excited.”
Huijsen noted that the group has quickly adapted to the new coaching setup: “We’ve talked quite a bit, he’s a good guy, and he’s got clear ideas—he wants to get that across. The intensity is high, the level is high. It’s great to be around guys like this: they’re all good guys, all humble.”
Commenting on the training grounds in Palm Beach, Huijsen added with a smile: “It was a park before? They’ve made great training facilities out of it. It’s Real Madrid, so it’s the best of the best.”
Huijsen also praised Jude Bellingham—“a great player, a good guy, it’s great to play alongside a player like that”—and emphasized his own readiness to play wherever needed: “I don’t really mind, wherever the manager picks me, I’ll do my best.”
Brahim Díaz: “It’s not an excuse—we play at the time we play”
Brahim Díaz also addressed the intense South Florida conditions but refused to make them a factor.
“It’s not an excuse,” he said. “We don’t need excuses. We play at the time we play. We drink water and get on with it.”
The attacking midfielder was full of praise for Alonso’s style: “We saw at Leverkusen, he likes to play with the ball, he likes to press high.” Brahim added that the former midfielder still has magic in his boots: “It’s obvious Xabi is younger, he’s still got that touch. When he gives those passes in training, I remember it from when I was young.”
Brahim also gave a shout-out to Huijsen, saying, “I’ve known him since I was young in Málaga. He’s a good footballer and has done really well to get here.”
Dani Ceballos: “We begin a new era tomorrow”
“Last year we found the balance that the team lacked sometimes,” Ceballos said. “Then I had the injury which left me out at a key point in the season. The coaches I’ve had—Arteta, Ancelotti—have given me advice… and now the boss [Alonso], who made history in his position, will be important for me moving forward.”
On the conditions in Palm Beach, Ceballos was pleased with the setup: “Very happy with how the pitch is. The two fields together let us work properly—this is one of the best we’ve had when we’ve been here in the U.S.”
He also underlined Alonso’s desire to shape a new tactical identity at the club: “The boss has talked about having an identity. At Madrid, we have to know how we play. He hasn’t had much time to work, but tomorrow we begin a new era.”
Acknowledging the weather, Ceballos said: “The truth is the heat is counterproductive at times, but for the opponent too. We’re training at these times, we want to be comfortable within that discomfort.”
Not much jumped out from the media sessions today, but a couple from Brahim / Ceballos on Xabi Alonso's desire to have a clear identity:
Ceballos: “The boss has talked about having an identity. At Madrid, we have to know how we play. He hasn’t had much time to work, but tomorrow…
— Managing Madrid (@managingmadrid) June 17, 2025
All Eyes on the Al Hilal Match
Real Madrid’s players made one thing clear: they are focused on winning the tournament.
“The goal is always the same,” Huijsen said. “Real Madrid wants to win everything.”
Kickoff against Al Hilal is set for 3:00 PM local time on Wednesday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.