Match ends, Real Madrid 2, Eintracht Frankfurt 0.
Karim Benzema continued his Ballon d'Or pursuit with a 324th goal for European champions Real Madrid as they beat Eintracht Frankfurt to lift the Uefa Super Cup in Helsinki.
Carlo Ancelotti's side, who beat Liverpool to win the Champions League in May, took the lead when David Alaba tapped into an empty net, with Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp stranded following Casemiro's header back across goal.
Benzema doubled the Spanish giants' lead after the break with a first-time finish from Vinicius Jr's cross to move second on Real's all-time goalscoring list, overtaking Raul and behind only Cristiano Ronaldo who has 450 goals.
Frankfurt, making their Super Cup debut, had moments of their own - the best when Daichi Kamada was sent through early on, but the Europa League winners looked second best once Real hit their stride.
Benzema's name on the Ballon d'Or?
Benzema is coming off the most prolific season in his career, scoring 44 times in 46 games for Real Madrid to help his side win a Champions League and La Liga double - and he looks set to continue that form.
The 34-year-old, who captained Real in the Super Cup final, said this week former team-mate Ronaldo "helped me on and off the pitch", but admitted he was able to adapt his game and score more goals once the Portugal star left.
After his goal on Wednesday, Benzema is second only to Ronaldo as Real's all-time leading scorer and staring at individual accolades as well as team prizes, becoming the frontrunner to win the Ballon d'Or in October.
"Benzema is very important, our leader," Ancelotti told Movistar."We are here mostly because of him - he scored many important goals.
"There are no doubts about who should win the Ballon d'Or, it should be Karim."
The Italian added: "For us he's the most important and most effective player in the world."
"He is an amazing centre-forward," former England midfielder Owen Hargreaves told BT Sport. "The great players rise to these occasions. When they have needed Benzema, he has produced.
"If he doesn't win the Ballon d'Or this season, he never will. I can't see how he doesn't win it. He is irreplaceable. He will age well because he has always been a smart player.
"He doesn't look like he is slowing down - there isn't another one out there like him."
Former Real Madrid winger Steve McManaman added: "Incredible, exalted company. Huge iconic names in the history of Real Madrid - only got Cristiano above him and that says a lot.
"[He's had} 610 appearances to get to where he has got and he deserves all the plaudits."
Confident Real clinch fifth Super Cup
Ancelotti named the same XI that started the Champions League final and there was a swagger to Real's play that comes with being crowned European champions for the 14th time - and now adding a fifth Super Cup to their trophy cabinet.
Frankfurt, meanwhile, earned a place in the continent's top-tier competition with their Europa League penalty shootout success over Rangers.
This meeting was their first against Real Madrid since a 7-3 defeat in the 1960 European Cup final and will give the Bundesliga side a gauge of what is to come.
After Japan striker Kamada failed to beat Thibaut Courtois to put the Germans ahead, they needed Brazilian defender Tuta to make a superb goalline block to deny Vinicius following a slick Real move at the other end.
Vinicius and Benzema have forged an almost telepathic understanding in attack and combined on the left to free the Brazilian, who shifted the ball onto his right foot and forced Trapp into a fingertip save from distance.
From the resulting 37th-minute corner came Real's breakthrough, with Alaba handed the simplest of finishes from close range.
Benzema almost made it two with a fizzed half volley that was narrowly off target, but did get the goal he needed in the 65th minute to pull clear of former captain Raul on the club's all-time scoring charts.
Once again it saw him combine with Vinicius, the young forward this time finding Benzema pulling away just inside the box and the veteran beat Trapp with a snappy effort to put the game beyond Frankfurt.
Casemiro had earlier curled against the bar from distance and Ancelotti, who suggested this week it was possible for Real to compete for all six competitions they are in this season, was able to hand debuts to new signings Antonio Rudiger and Aurelien Tchouameni.
"After we scored the first one we had more control and we didn't take risks, didn't play with super intensity but it was a good control," said Ancelotti.
"They are used to playing together, they are comfortable, they know each other. It is simple to play together, to find the right time in the game."
Line-ups
Real Madrid
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Courtois
- 2CarvajalSubstituted forRüdigerat 85'minutes
- 3Militão
- 4Alaba
- 23Mendy
- 10ModricSubstituted forRodrygoat 66'minutes
- 14Casemiro
- 8KroosSubstituted forTchouaméniat 85'minutes
- 15ValverdeSubstituted forCamavingaat 76'minutes
- 9Benzema
- 20Vinícius JúniorSubstituted forCeballosat 85'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Vallejo
- 6Nacho
- 7E Hazard
- 11Asensio
- 13Lunin
- 17Vázquez
- 18Tchouaméni
- 19Ceballos
- 21Rodrygo
- 22Rüdiger
- 24Mariano
- 25Camavinga
Frankfurt
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Trapp
- 18TouréSubstituted forAlarioat 69'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 35Silva Melo
- 2Ndicka
- 36Knauff
- 17RodeSubstituted forGötzeat 58'minutes
- 8Sow
- 25Lenz
- 29LindstrømSubstituted forKolo Muaniat 58'minutes
- 15Kamada
- 19Borré
Substitutes
- 5Smolcic
- 6Jakic
- 9Kolo Muani
- 11Alidou
- 20Hasebe
- 21Alario
- 22Chandler
- 23Hauge
- 27Götze
- 31Grahl
- 40Ramaj
- Referee:
- Michael Oliver
- Attendance:
- 31,042
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home58%
- Away42%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away3
- Corners
- Home3
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Real Madrid 2, Eintracht Frankfurt 0.
Post update
Eder Militão (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt).
Booking
Lucas Alario (Eintracht Frankfurt) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Lucas Alario (Eintracht Frankfurt).
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Attempt blocked. Ansgar Knauff (Eintracht Frankfurt) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Lucas Alario.
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Offside, Eintracht Frankfurt. Christopher Lenz tries a through ball, but Mario Götze is caught offside.
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Foul by David Alaba (Real Madrid).
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Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Antonio Rüdiger replaces Daniel Carvajal.
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Aurélien Tchouaméni replaces Toni Kroos.
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Dani Ceballos replaces Vinícius Júnior.
Post update
Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt).
Post update
Foul by Toni Kroos (Real Madrid).
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Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid).
Post update
Lucas Alario (Eintracht Frankfurt) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Comments
Join the conversation
To survive at Madrid so long as main striker under so many different managers and with many different teammates is testament to his quality and bottle.
What a career
Plus if you look at the criteria for being awarded The Ballon d'Or
which are that they are awarded according to on-field performance and overall behaviour on and off the pitch, Tax Evasion and other personal infringements should count against nominees.
The Voting process is also suspect.
Robert Lewandowski losing out to Messi was embarrassing,
for an international news agency. Manfred Neuber
Man Utd 3 Champs Legs. And Utd 'biggest club in world'!?
LAUGHABLE