Real Madrid have lifted the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup thanks to 2-0 victory over San Lorenzo in Saturday's final.
Los Blancos steamrolled Cruz Azul in the last four to reach the Marrakech spectacle, but Carlo Ancelotti made just the one change from the team which served him so well on Tuesday in the form of James Rodriguez, who shook off a hamstring injury.
The Copa Libertadores champions, meanwhile, needed extra time to dispatch Auckland City, and they remained unchanged from their semi-final affair with the New Zealanders on Wednesday.
The match had been overshadowed by reports Cristiano Ronaldo was unhappy with his failure to score against the Mexicans – a claim denied by his Coach – and that San Lorenzo requested a neutral referee to take charge of proceedings. Portuguese official Pedro Proenca was believed to have been assigned the fixture initially, but he has been pipped to the chase by Guatemalan Walter Lopez.
Madrid predictably dominated the first half, but none of the BBC – Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo – could find a way to goal, leaving Ramos with the task of heading the side ahead thanks to another trademark delivery from Toni Kroos.
Ronaldo then saw an effort on the edge of the interval strike the hand of Walter Kannemann, which was subsequently waved away by Lopez, but not before Marcelo was forced to make way for Fabio Coentrao with a suspected injury.
Nonetheless, the restart presented Madrid with the all-important clincher as Bale squirmed a close-range effort through Sebastian Torrico and into the net, although it could have been short-lived, had Enzo Kalinski's shot stayed a fraction down.
The Champions League holders continued to threaten, with an awful backpass from Emmanuel Mas latched onto by Benzema, who smashed an attempt from 25 yards out on the half-volley just over the crossbar.
Bale then curled a floated effort at the stanchion, despite intending to pick out Ronaldo with a cross.
The latter stages allowed San Lorenzo to pepper the Madrid goal with some snapshots, Kalinski with the best of the bunch as he forced Iker Casillas into action from distance. Juan Buffarini then whizzed a low strike inches wide of the Spaniard's net.
Ronaldo was presented with a great chance to break his duck in the tournament at the death, but his straight header was only good enough for the palms of a grateful Torrico.
Real Madrid 2-0 San Lorenzo
Ramos 37, Bale 51
Real Madrid: Casillas; Carvajal (Arbeloa 73), Pepe, Ramos (Varane 89), Marcelo (Coentrao 44); Kroos, Isco, James; Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo
San Lorenzo: Torrico; Buffarini, Yepes (Cetto 61), Kannemann, Mas; Mercier, Origoza, Kalinski; Barrientos; Veron (Romagnoli 57), Cauteruccio (Matos 68)
Ref: Walter Lopez [GUA]
