Six years after being forced to leave, former Newcastle United star has just rolled back the years vs Real Madrid

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Newcastle United fans will surely have been interested spectators to the Club World Cup on Sunday night.

While Newcastle United are not in the competition themselves, two of their former players lined up for Mexican side Pachuca against Real Madrid.

Indeed, Salomon Rondon may have been on the losing side, but impressed despite his team’s 3-1 loss to Xabi Alonso’s team.

Rondon played alongside another former Toon star in Kenedy.

Now 35, it was brilliant to see Rondon up to his old tricks against Los Blancos.

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How Salomon Rondon played for Pachuca vs Real Madrid

Rondon joined the Mexican outfit in 2024 and has since won the CONCACAF Champions Cup with the team.

He started up front against Madrid and was heavily involved. He had an early effort in goal before forcing Raul Asencio to foul him, duly earning the Spaniard a red card.

As per WhoScored data, Rondon played two key passes, won an aerial duel, drew three fouls and had four shots.

Madrid were wobbling in the first-half as Rondon looked to toy with their defenders. Alonso’s side did restore some order, but it was another indication as to the level of Rondon’s quality.

Why Newcastle United didn’t sign Salomon Rondon permanently

The Venezuela star joined Newcastle on loan from West Brom in 2018 and scored 12 goals in 33 appearances for the club.

Rondon wanted to stay at Newcastle on a permanent basis but was not signed after Rafa Benitez left St James’ Park in the summer of 2019. 

He later joined Dalian Yifang when Benitez was manager there before stints at CSKA Moscow, Everton and River Plate.

It’s been quite the career for the forward, who also has 117 caps for his country.

Mike Ashley refused to sign Rondon permanently and later sanctioned the signing of Joelinton for what was then a club-record £40million.

Obviously, that’s since worked and then some. However, at the time, it looked like a dreadful mistake.

Thankfully, Eddie Howe has turned the Brazilian into an all-action central midfielder. Still, the decision to sign Rondon on a permanent basis still looks strange, given how well he performed in his only season on Tyneside.