By Stephen Johns

Real Madrid’s whirlwind tour of Toronto culminated with a 5–1 win over Toronto FC in front of a record BMO Field crowd. It might’ve been just an exhibition match, but the sense of occasion inside the stadium was palpable. The Madrid players were given the star treatment throughout their abbreviated stay; the biggest star of all was, of course, Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Madrid from Manchester United for $144-million this summer and who scored a lovely goal in a game which also featured the Madrid debuts of Kaka and Xabi Alonso. Yet despite the star-studded Galácticos in white, the game’s highlight might well have been Toronto FC’s lone goal, scored by Gabe Gala, which made the 22,059 fans in attendance (not to mention the TFC players) go absolutely mad. As for the pitch, which was covered in grass for the occasion: the less said, the better.