Underdogs to watch out for at FIFA Club World Cup 2025

The Hindu

12 hours ago

The newly revamped FIFA Club World Cup will kick off with USA's Inter Miami facing Egypt's Al Ahly in the tournament opener on June 14 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
While the tournament will see some of the usual suspects like Real Madrid and newly-crowned UEFA Champions League champion in PSG vying for the title, there are some sides which could play the party-pooper role in this edition.
Sportstar looks at some of the teams which could rub some other sides in the worst way possible during the length of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025:
Auckland City
Auckland City is an amateur club, its players balancing football with university studies or full-time jobs as teachers, real estate agents and sales reps. They don't earn a salary for playing.
It's first game at the Club World Cup in the United States brings it face-to-face with German champion Bayern Munich and its prolific England striker Harry Kane. Benfica and Boca Juniors, two other storied heavyweights, come next.
Auckland City striker Angus Kilkolly cannot wait. 'It's probably our dream group,' he told AFP by telephone as he made his way to training from his day job in sales. 'For us to be able to experience playing against those teams is a dream for us. To be actually on the same pitch is a little bit crazy.'
The 13-time Oceania Champions League winner has been an almost constant presence at the Club World Cup since 2006. The Navy Blues finished third of seven sides at the 2014 edition, beaten by Argentina's San Lorenzo in extra time in the semifinals.
Al Ain
One of the most successful clubs in UAE, Al Ain is also not new to this competition. It's 2018 campaign ended in heartbreak with a 1-4 thrashing by Real Madrid in the final.
Moreover, the 14-time UAE Pro League winner recently went through a change in its coaching staff. Former Argentina international Hernan Crespo had took over the reins in November 2023 after which he led the side to the AFC Champions League title. However, the club sacked him after a poor start to the 2024-25 season as Crespo's stint with the side ended with a 1-5 loss against Al Nassr in this year's edition of the continental tournament.
Now, newly-appointed coach in Vladimir Ivic of Serbia, who was signed on in February, will perhaps face his biggest challenge in his managerial career while leading Al Ain in the Club World Cup. And more often than not in sport, the prospect of a challenge makes a side brings its A-game to the fore.
Urawa Red Diamonds
While the Reds may just have one top-flight division title since the J1 League was established in 1992, the Japanese side from Saitama has three AFC Champions League Elite titles in its cabinet. Moreover, it also has some Club World Cup pedigree.
Having participated in the tournament thrice before, the Urawa Red Diamonds became the first Asian side to finish third when it did so in the 2007 edition by beating Etoile du Sahel from Tunisia on penalties.
In the last edition in 2023, the Japanese side reached the semifinals before bowing out to Manchester City and also losing the third-place match to Egypt's Al Ahly.
Japan has in recent times been a capable challenger to the traditional footballing powerhouses at the international level, and the Reds would hope to emulate that at the club level when it takes on the likes of River Plate, Inter Milan, and Monterrey.
(With AFP inputs)