Real Madrid outclassed Manchester United to claim the UEFA Super Cup in Skopje.
Zinedine Zidane's men went 2-0 up thanks to excellent goals from Isco and Casemiro, before Romelu Lukaku netted on his competitive debut for the Red Devils.
Gareth Bale started the match for the European champions, following Jose Mourinho's quotes that he would be interested in signing him should Zidane omit him from his line-up, while there were also Red Devils debuts for Victor Lindelof and Nemanja Matic.
Recap all of the action as it happened below.
Real Madrid: Keylor, Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo, Casemiro, Kroos, Modric, Isco, Bale, Benzema
Subs: Casilla, Nacho, Ronaldo, Hernandez, Vazquez, Asensio, Kovacic
Manchester United: De Gea, Valencia, Lindelof, Smalling, Darmian, Matic, Herrera, Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Lingard, Lukaku
Subs: Romero, Blind, Carrick, Fellaini, Mata, Martial, Rashford
United need Bale more than Madrid do
Jose Mourinho won’t be fooled by Zinedine Zidane ‘s decision to start Gareth Bale in Tuesday night’s Super Cup showdown.
Mourinho said he would move for Bale if the forward was not in Real Madrid ‘s starting line-up, claiming it would indicate the 28-year-old was surplus to requirements for Zidane.
But with Cristiano Ronaldo having been back in training for just three days, there was logic to Zidane’s decision to start Bale, irrespective of the Wales star’s standing at the Bernabeu.
Real’s continued pursuit of Monaco’s £160million-rated teen sensation Kylian Mbappe means bale is facing an uncertain future, at least until August 31, when the transfer window closes.
Mourinho would not have chosen to stir things up without good reason, the belief at Manchester United being that Bale, a long-term target of theirs, will be attainable should Real manage to sign Mbappe.
Read more from David McDonnell here.
Player ratings
How about some player ratings?
Our man David McDonnell was in Skopje this evening and he’s rated and slated each and every Manchester United player right here.
Bale "concentrating on his football"
Gareth Bale was interviewed on the pitch just before Madrid were handed the trophy and he did little to fuel talk of a move to Manchester United.
Asked about the speculation linking him to Old Trafford, the Welshman said: “I’ve just been concentrating on my football. I’ve not been listening to anything and I don’t read anything.
“I’m enjoying my football and enjoying winning trophies.”
Asked if attitudes towards him within Madrid had changed, Bale said: “Not that I know. I’m just concentrating on getting back to full fitness after eight or nine months that have been a bit disrupted by injuries.
“I’m pleased to add to the collection of trophies. We controlled the game and deserved to win.”
Mourinho's runners-up medal straight off
United are currently receiving their loser’s medals, with Jose Mourinho immediately whipping his off as he marches off.
Up next are Real to pick up their latest trophy, with Ramos the man to hoist it up.
5 things we learned
Manchester United were reminded of how far they still have to go after being beaten by Real Madrid in the Super Cup.
Jose Mourinho has added three new faces this summer but United struggled to contend with Europe’s best side for large parts in Skopje.
Casemiro opened the scoring for Real in the first-half before the excellent Isco made it 2-0.
United hit back through Romelu Lukaku but they couldn’t find a leveller as serial winners Real lifted another trophy.
Here are five things we learned.
United second best
Jose Mourinho’s poor record against Real Madrid (thanks, OptaJoe!) continues, but the Red Devils boss can’t have too much to grumble about.
Madrid were far better in possession, with superb goals from Isco and Casemiro putting the game beyond reach for the Premier League side.
It’s another trophy for Real Madrid, who are an absolute winning machine under Zidane.
Learnings, player ratings and more are coming right up, so don’t go changing...
FULL-TIME: Real Madrid 2-1 Manchester United
Ronaldo is downed by Valencia five yards outside the United box.
As you’d expect, the man himself steps up to take it... and it’s miles over.
And that’s the final meaningful action, as the referee calls time and Real Madrid have won the UEFA Super Cup.
Rashford booked
Another ball is hoofed into the Real box, but it’s again cleared.
Rashford is then booked for chopping down Vazquez as Real look to break.
Only a couple of minutes of stoppage time left now.
Fellaini with a huge chance
Not long now for United to find something.
And Fellaini wastes a superb chance when he gets on the end of an excellent Valencia ball, but his header is more like a back pass.
Navas saves and Real go forward again, with Asensio forcing a great save out of De Gea.
Ramos then heads just wide from the resulting corner.
Plenty going on here...
Into stoppage time
Pogba looks to tee up Rashford on the left, but his ball is poor - tired looking.
Real waste no time in getting forward, immediately winning a corner through Marcelo.
Ramos gets on the end of it, but doesn’t get a good connection and heads over.
Lukaku then performs a foul throw. Oh dear.
We’re into seven minutes of stoppage time.
Ramos booked
Ramos is shown a yellow for a tactical foul and on a full-speed Paul Pogba on the touchline. Needed doing, to be fair.
Less then five minutes for United to find an equaliser. They’ve improved after the break, but still second best here.
Lindelof fouls Ronaldo and not for the first time during the Portuguese’s brief cameo.
Ronaldo on for Benzema
Cristiano Ronaldo joins the fun, replacing Benzema for the final ten or so minutes.
United win a free-kick ten or so yards outside the Real area, just to the left.
Up steps Rashford... and that’s far too high.
Rashford with a golden opportunity
Oh my, what a chance.
Fellaini’s obviously ok as he’s just played a beaut of a pass to Rashford who tears down on goal and sees his shot go *just* wide after Navas got the slightest of touches to it.
Then Real tear down the other end with Darmian doing enough to deny Benzema a goal
Fellaini fit to continue
Fellaini has come off worst from that clash and is still down being tended to by the medical staff.
He’s sat up now though and is having a big bandage wrapped around his head, so should be able to carry on.
The Belgian is back on his feet on the sideline and should be able to rejoin the action shortly.
Fellaini and Ramos clash heads
Matic plays another useful ball in over the top and Fellaini gets on the end of it - but Ramos managed to get up there and put him off.
The Real skipper has taken a bang on the head for his troubles though, as has the Belgian.
While they both receive treatment a certain Cristiano Ronaldo gets ready to join the action.
Isco and Bale off, Vazquez and Asensio on
Off we go again for the final 18 minutes or so.
Vazquez and Asensio are indeed on, with Isco and Bale being taken off.
Shame, as it was a pleasure watching Isco tonight.
Drinks break #2
United want a corner after Mkhitaryan and Ramos contest a ball on the byeline, but the referee is unimpressed.
The Red Devils do win a corner shortly after, as the introduction of Rashford continues to change the game.
It looks like we’re having a pair of Real changes. Vazquez and Asensio are coming on - but not before we have another drinks break.
Madrid slowing the game down
Real looking to slow the game down here.
And now its stopped as Bale clashes heads with Smalling.
He’s quickly up though, only for Modric to hit the deck after a late Pogba challenge.
Just over 20 minutes to go - will we see a Ronaldo cameo?
GOAL! Real Madrid 2-1 Manchester United (Lukaku)
United pull one back - there was no way Lukaku could have missed from there.
Matic hit a low, long range shot from 25 yards which Navas spilt right into the path of the Belgian, who fired home unopposed from inside the six yard box.
Less than 30 minutes left now for United to find another.
Bale hits the bar
Another ball is floated into Lukaku, but again he can’t do anything with it.
Real flood forward, with the midfield air of Kroos and Modric leading the way.
The European champions stroke the ball around outside the United box with Casemiro eventually picking his moment and threading through to Bale, who hits the bar from close range.
Fellaini on for Herrera
Mourinho makes another change, this time bringing Fellaini on for Herrera in midfield.
United have 35 minutes to somehow fashion a couple of goals, against the run of play.
Modric and Kroos are running the midfield here, lets see if that substitution can change anything.
Lukaku wastes a huge chance
United come straight back at Real after the goal, with Herrera playing a superb ball into Pogba, who rises highest but sees his header parried by Navas.
The Frenchman should have scored, but here comes Lukaku on the rebound, but the striker fires over from six yards out.
He really, really should have scored that.
GOAL! Real Madrid 2-0 Manchester United (Isco)
That, ladies and gentlemen, is a great goal.
Isco, who has been perhaps the best player on the pitch, jinks past a couple of United defenders on the edge of the area, plays a devastating one-two with Bale which carves open the defence and slots home past De Gea.
Glorious.
Rashford looking positive
Rashford is having an impact already here.
The sub drives forward down the left, showing some quick feet before crossing the ball in.
Good, positive play from the youngster.
Kroos has a pop
Kroos has the first proper chance of the second 45, when he receives the ball 25 yards from goal and fires a palm-stinger at David De Gea after the defence opens up.
A decent save, but one he had to make.
Zidane’s men continue to press with Marcelo seeing an effort deflected into the side netting.
United look to counter after the ball is cleared and if Rashford has played a first-time pass, Lukaku would have been in.
Rashford on for Lingard
Mourinho has made just the one change at the break, taking off Lingard, who was booked just before half-time, for Rashford.
There was plenty of chat at half-time over whether the goal was offside and here’s what Steve McManaman said on BT Sport:
“Officially he is offside so if it gets given offside, and you see these angles, you say fair enough.
“But the referee’s assistant can’t be that accurate all the time, one will slip by.”
PEEP! Off we go again
Plenty for Mourinho to do at half-time, as Madrid were clearly the better team there.
United had a good opening 10 minutes when they looked very lively, but had no answer when Madrid started to pass the ball about.
Matic looked decent for the Red Devils, while Lukaku hasn’t looked too clever up front, making a couple of errors that you should be getting from a £75million signing.
Out they come for the second 45 minutes...
United fans unhappy over the goal
Manchester United supporters are fuming with Casemiro’s goal for Real Madrid, claiming the effort was offside.
The Brazilian broke the deadlock for Los Blancos in the 24th minute of the game, slotting past David de Gea in the Red Devils’ goal.
The effort is the star’s second against big opposition after he scored a screamer when Real Madrid dismantled Juventus in the Champions League final .
Los Blancos are the favourites to win the match, but United fans are convinced the goal should not have stood - and they may have a point.
Jake Polden has a deep dive into that one here.
HALF-TIME: Real Madrid 1-0 Manchester United
There goes the half-time whistle and it’s Real Madrid who go in ahead.
It’s a deserved lead for the European champions, who had plenty of possession and the better chances during the opening 45 minutes.
United came back into the game after the drinks break on 30 minutes, but struggled to carve out any decent chances.
Lukaku with a chance
Madrid venture forward and Benzema has a shot, but De Gea gets down low to beat it away.
United win the ball back, with Pogba launching a long cross into Lukaku, who this time manages to beat Ramos, but his header is straight at Navas.