New Zealanders hail Auckland City's amateurs as 'heroic' after CWC draw with Boca Juniors
WELLINGTON: It might not have been the shot heard around the world but it was a goal that reverbrated 13,000 kilometers (8,000 miles) away when Auckland City FC scored Tuesday to draw 1-1 with Boca Juniors at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Christian Gray, a trainee teacher at Mt. Roskill Intermediate School in Auckland, rose to meet the corner of Jerson Lagos, a barber, and headed in the equalizer as the mostly-amateur team from New Zealand held Diego Maradona's fasmous old Argentine club to a draw.
Auckland lost 10-0 to Bayern Munich and 6-0 to Benfica in its first two matches, leading to questions over FIFA's decision to allow a team of part-timers from Oceania, it's smallest confederation, to compete with the professional superstars of world soccer.
Even Auckland City's local paper, the New Zealand Herald, joined the critics, suggesting the team had "damaged Auckland City FC's proud 20-year legacy" in FIFA events.
"It's been a trying few weeks," the Herald reported after two defeats. "In the past, Auckland City have been renowned for punching above their weight on the global stage, while usually having a couple of outstanding individuals. That hasn't quite been the case here."
But Auckland City left its best to last, producing an outstanding performance to the satisfaction of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who was among the crowd at the match in Nashville.
"It's been a tough trip, you know, we've had some tough results but just happy for the team," Gray said. "I think we deserve it. We got a little bit of respect back I hope.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
How a bunch of amateurs at Auckland City FC pulled off the upset of Club World Cup
Christian Gray, a trainee physical education teacher at Mt. Roskill Intermediate School in Auckland, fears the assignment pile-up when he returns home and resumes his primary job. But the defender would take the pain of flipping through the humdrum pages with a content heart, as he netted the lone goal his club, Auckland City FC, scored in the Club World Cup, against Boca Juniors, the Argentinian powerhouse. 'I don't love the spotlight. I'll leave that to the other boys, but, yeah, a lot of emotions,' Gray said after the game. It was the most memorable hour in the club's history. They survived an onslaught of 40 shies on goal, but showed the fight and tenacity to salvage a draw. Their inclusion was dubbed a FIFA farce, as they were obscenely mismatched in stature and economics. Most of the players are amateurs, get around 100 USD for a game (as opposed to six figure sums those in Europe earn.) Even Auckland City's local paper, the New Zealand Herald, joined the critics, suggesting the team had 'damaged Auckland City FC's proud 20-year legacy' in Fifa events. 'It's been a trying few weeks,' the Herald reported after two defeats. 'In the past, Auckland City have been renowned for punching above their weight on the global stage, while usually having a couple of outstanding individuals. That hasn't quite been the case here.' Auckland 🆚 Boca #FIFACWC — FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) June 25, 2025 The 5074th side in the world, according to Opta, had a combined market value of just $5.29 million. Bayern Munich, who thrashed them 10-0, had a total squad value of $1.04 billion which was just the fifth highest among all teams at the FIFA Club World Cup. Boca was worth 100 million dollars. 'We rely on volunteers, we don't have a lot of money so I'm just happy that they're happy,' Gray said. Auckland reported 1.1m New Zealand dollars (around £488,000) in revenue for the last financial year, compared to the Bundesliga giants' 951.5m euros (£810m). The team comprises community football coaches, an engineer, a sonographer, a coca cola sales manager, a barber, real estate brokers, forklift operators and warehouse managers. We've had some tough results, but I'm just happy for the team and the boys, I think we deserve it. We've got a little bit of respect.' Gray would say. His family is no stranger to sporting glory. His father Rodger captained the country's football team and now works as the security head of Auckland FC while his mother Sandra had represented her country in netball. The result not only earned them international recognition but also a significant financial reward, with the club set to receive approximately US$4.48 million in total prize-money. 'You can't begin to explain the odds that we are up against,' manager Paul Poša said after the draw. 'Our club is tiny with the hugest heart. We got something today from the tournament, which was a just reward for everybody that's been working behind the scenes. You can't say we haven't learned from the experience of being at the tournament, I'm thrilled for the players and the club, it's wonderful. It's something to go home with.'
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
'Knew We Had To Win', Says Liam Delap Following Chelsea's Win Over Esperance
Last Updated: Chelsea posted a 3-0 win over Tunisian side Esperance in their final Group D game to ensure their berth in the Round of 16 of the revamped tournament in the USA. English forward Liam Delap, who netted in Chelsea's 3-0 win over Esperance at the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup 2025, expressed his delight with his strike and his side's result. Liam, the son of former Stoke defender Rory Delap, netted his club's second goal of the night after Tosin Adarabioyo opened the scoring for the Blues. Tyrique George put the result beyond doubt with Chelsea's third goal of the game to ensure their berth in the Round of 16 of the revamped tournament in the USA. 'We knew we had to win tonight to get through, and we're pleased to get the job done," Delap began. 'It's a really happy feeling to score and hopefully, it's the first of many," he added. 'I love playing football, and to play for such a good team is a great feeling," the Chelsea forward added. 'I spoke to Enzo and he told me that when he gets the ball, I should run, and it was a great pass, and luckily it went in," the 22-year-old expressed his gratitude to the Argentine star Enzo Fernandes, who set his goal up. Chelsea, who finishes second in Group D behind Flamengo, are slated to take on Portuguese heavyweights Benfica, who topped Group C, in their first knockout encounter on the 29th of June at the Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina. 'We've just got to prepare over the next few days. Everyone will come out fighting, and hopefully we'll progress,' he concluded. Chelsea began their campaign in North America with a 2-0 win over MLS side Los Angeles FC, before eventual group-toppers Flamengo condemned the PL outfit to a 1-3 defeat after Nicolas Jackson was shown a red early in the game. Chelsea, however, ensured progress to the subsequent round of the event with their win over the Tunisian side in their final group encounter. First Published: June 25, 2025, 17:50 IST
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
After empty seats and extreme heat, US faces fresh criticism over poor pitches at FIFA Club World Cup
Top players including Achraf Hakimi and Jude Bellingham have criticised pitch conditions at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the US. PSG head coach Luis Enrique said that the ball bounces like a rabbit on these pitches. read more Luis Enrique is one of many who have slammed the playing conditions in the US. Image: Reuters The has brought fans from all over the world to the United States to enjoy a new 32-team format. With exciting matches and big-name players in action, the tournament was highly anticipated even before it began. FIFA has claimed that over 1.5 million tickets have been sold, and more than 1 million people have already attended matches despite earlier reports suggesting . But attendance numbers are not the main concern of clubs that are participating. After early complaints about the , a new issue has come up that FIFA would find troubling before next year's World Cup. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Players and coaches complain about quality of grounds in US Many players and coaches have pointed out the poor pitch quality at several stadiums across the United States. Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique slammed the surfaces in the US in his post-match comments after his team beat the Seattle Sounders 2–0. He said the pitch looked good but didn't play well. 'I'm saying this today because we won — the pitches here are nowhere near the quality of those in Europe. They look good, but the ball bounces like a rabbit. Today, for example, the surface was laid over the original turf and had to be watered manually. They watered it at halftime, but it was dry again after 10 minutes,' Enrique said. More from Football PSG defender Achraf Hakimi also spoke about the problem, saying that the heat and dry grass are making it hard to play their natural game. 'I think the most negative aspect I have experienced so far — and it's something we can't do anything about — is the heat. It is summer, and you can tell by how quickly the pitch dries up. With our playing style, where we like to have the ball and control the flow of the game, it slows us down when the pitch is dry,' Hakimi told The Latin Times. Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham also shared his thoughts after a match in Charlotte. He said the pitch was hard and the ball didn't bounce properly. 'The pitches aren't great here, honestly. It holds up, the ball barely bounces, and it's tough on the knees as well. Hopefully it's something that someone will look at going into the World Cup next year. It's important that we protect the players as well as give the fans a spectacle,' Bellingham told reporters after Real Madrid's 3–1 win over Liga MX side Pachuca. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD These concerns should worry FIFA as they are slated to host the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
