Yildiz stars as Juventus crush Al Ain in Club World Cup

Juventus dominate Al Ain 5-0 in their Club World Cup opener, with Kenan Yildiz scoring a wonder goal to lead the Italian side to a flying start.

There was plenty of talk about Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Manchester City. But Juventus? Almost nothing. Following a turbulent season in Italy, including a managerial change, expectations were low for the Bianconeri’s Club World Cup debut. However, the Italian giants proved their doubters wrong.

Several players impressed in the Italian showcase. Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceicao were joint top scorers with two goals apiece, but Kenan Yildiz stood out.

Nicknamed the “Turkish Del Piero”, the number 10 produced a stunning strike from outside the box, showcasing his full potential at Audi Field. He also sent a clear message to former boss Thiago Motta, who had regularly benched him – frustrating many Juventus fans.

Reports in the Italian press had even hinted at tension between player and coach. Journalist Sandro Sabatini revealed that Motta had openly criticised Yildiz during training, saying: “Who do you think you are? You are not Messi.”

Who is Kenan Yildiz?

Born in Regensburg, Germany, Yildiz began his football journey in 2011 with local side SV Sallern. After spells with Jahn Regensburg and Bayern Munich’s youth ranks, he joined Juventus in 2022.

Yildiz featured prominently for the U19s before making his senior debut in the 2023-24 season, recording six goals in 32 matches. Widely regarded as one of the top talents of his generation, the 19-year-old is now delivering on that promise.

Eligible to represent both Germany and Turkey, he opted for the Turkish national team.

Juventus take control early

From the first whistle, Juventus played with intensity and confidence, and it took just ten minutes to find the breakthrough. A sweeping move involving Conceiçao, Khephren Thuram and Alberto Costa ended with a pinpoint cross to Kolo Muani, who rose high to head home past Rui Patricio.

Just ten minutes later, Costa drove into the box and went down under pressure. While the referee waved play on, Conceicao picked up the loose ball, beat Kouame and finished smartly with his left foot. A deflection wrong-footed the goalkeeper, doubling Juventus' lead.

The third goal came at the half-hour mark. Cambiaso cut inside from the left and found Thuram, who played in Yildiz. The Turkish international shook off his marker and unleashed a superb strike from outside the area.

Juventus were not done. In first-half stoppage time, Thuram sent Kolo Muani in behind. The Frenchman held off Kouamé and finished clinically to make it 4-0. Conceicao completed the rout in the second half.

This article was originally published on Trivela.