Scouting Club World Cup opponents of Inter Miami, Messi: Al Ahly, Porto, Palmeiras
The casual sports fan may assume that Lionel Messi and his high-profile Inter Miami teammates are locks to advance from a Club World Cup group that includes Al Ahly of Egypt, Porto of Portugal and Palmeiras of Brazil.
But soccer fans who follow the international game are fully aware that although Messi's No. 10 pink shirt is the best selling in the world, his team is the underdog against three Group A opponents that have far more history and trophies than a 6-year-old MLS club.
Inter Miami kicks off the $1 billion tournament on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium against Al Ahly, the highest-ranked African team in the world, a team that won that region's Champions League three of the past four years and has racked up 155 trophies over its 118-year history.
Next up for the Miami is 30-time Portuguese champion Porto in Atlanta on June 19 and the final group game is June 23 back at Hard Rock Stadium against Brazilian power Palmeiras, the Sao Paulo side that won Brazil's Serie A in 2022 and 2023, the Copa do Brasil in 2020 and two successive Copa Libertadores in 2020 and 2021.
Among the top players on Palmeiras' roster is 18-year-old phenom Estavao, who is headed to Chelsea for a $68 million transfer fee.
According to the Opta Power Rankings, Porto is No. 56 in the world, Palmeiras No. 76, Al Ahly No. 98 and Inter Miami No. 146.
Let's take a closer look at who Messi and his Inter Miami teammates will be facing over the next few weeks…
Al Ahly steeped in history
Spanish coach Jose Riveiro makes his Al Ahly debut in the Club World Cup opener, and he will be under pressure from the passionate and demanding Red Devils fans, who are used to winning and pack 75,000-seat Cairo International Stadium for home matches.
Al Ahly has won 45 Egyptian Premier League titles, 39 Egypt Cup titles and 15 Egyptian Super Cups, making it the most successful club in Africa. The club's Instagram account has 12 million followers, and most of its players have more than a million followers, led by Trezeguet by 9.7 million.
'When you are in a Club World Cup, you are going to see the best teams in the world, and we landed a group that maybe in the names of the clubs is not as intimidating as others, but I can tell you that based on performance, it is a difficult group,' said Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano.
'I have seen Al Ahly in the Intercontinental Cup, Porto and Palmeiras we know much better because we have seen them often. Our goal is to arrive at the tournament in the best form possible and try to win the first game.'
Inter Miami features former Barcelona teammates Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba, who is injured and questionable for Saturday's game.
Al Ahly also boasts elite players such as ex-Aston Villa forward Mahmoud Trézéguet, Emam Ashour, Wessam Abou Ali, and Momamad Hanu.
The Egyptian team has been in South Florida for more than a week, training at Nova Southeastern University and tuned up for the Club World Cup with a friendly against Mexican team Pachuca on Sunday, losing 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 tie.
Porto seeks redemption
The Club World Cup is redemption time for Porto, an opportunity to save face after finishing the Primeira Liga in third place for the second year in a row. The Dragons finished nine points behind second-place Benfica and 11 points behind winner Sporting.
The last time they finished below top two in successive seasons was in 1976 and 1977.
Porto, a historic club that was founded in 1893 and has never been relegated, was eliminated by Roma in the first knockout round of the Europa League this year, and lost in the Round of 32 of the Taca de Portugal (Portugal's FA Cup) against Moreirense and the semi-finals of the Taca da Liga (League Cup).
Coach Martin Anselmi, who was previously at Mexican club Cruz Azul, leads a team that features talented goalkeeper Diogo Costa and Spanish striker in Samu Aghehowa, who scored 25 goals this season. Other players to watch include forward Pepe and midfielder Stephen Eustaquio.
Porto is the most decorated Portuguese team in international competitions, with seven trophies. They won the European Cup/UEFA Champions League in 1987 and 2004, the UEFA Cup/Europa League in 2003 and 2011, the UEFA Super Cup in 1987, and the Intercontinental Cup in 1987 and 2004.
Palmeiras teen Estavao takes center stage
One of the most exciting young players in the world is 18-year-old Brazilian winger Estevao, so it is no surprise that Inter Miami's game against Palmeiras was drawing higher ticket prices than the opener against Al Ahly.
South Florida's large Brazilian community will get a chance to see the teen phenom in person before he heads to England to play for Chelsea, which reportedly paid a $39.3 million transfer fee with another $26.6 million in performance-based incentives.
He made his club debut at age 16 and last season scored 13 goals with nine assists.
Asked about the opportunity to face Messi, Estevao said in a FIFA.com interview: 'I am very excited. I'll be playing against one of the greatest football players in history, so being on the pitch with him will be an incredible and unforgettable experience for me.
'It's a great feeling to be playing in a tournament like this and to know that Palmeiras is among the best clubs in the world. It's great not only for me, but for everyone playing. Expectations are high, and the tournament will also be a great learning experience since we'll be facing not just South American clubs, but also European ones.'
Other Palmeiras players to watch include forward Vitor Roque, midfielder Raphael Veiga, midfielder Richard Ríos and forward Facundo Torres.
Palmeiras is Brazil's most successful domestic club with a record 12 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, four Copas do Brasil, one Copa dos Campeões, and one Supercopa do Brasil.
The Brazilian Serie A season kicked off in March and ends in December. Palmeiras is currently in fourth place and advanced to the Copa Libertadores Round of 16, where it will play Unversitario of Peru in August.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
31 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
FIFA to Splash $1 Billion of Prize Money on First Club World Cup
FIFA, the global governing body of international soccer, has lured some of the world's top teams to the US for an inaugural Club World Cup with a record $1 billion to be distributed over the next month. Despite a global marketing campaign that's featured Lionel Messi, fans so far appear underwhelmed.
Digital Trends
32 minutes ago
- Digital Trends
FIFA Club World Cup 2025: What is it, and what new tech is it bringing?
The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 kicks off June 14 in North America, as the best club sides from domestic soccer leagues around the world take to the field in a tournament which will crown the best club in the world. This isn't to be confused with the very similarly named FIFA World Cup – which is also being hosted by the US in 2026 along with Canada and Mexico – where the top nations from around the world (think the USMNT, Brazil, England etc) compete to be the best country in the world. Recommended Videos Major international soccer tournaments not only deliver compelling sporting action, but also tend to be the proving ground for new technology to improve the game and enhance the viewing experience. From new camera angles and viewing experiences, to improved refereeing systems, the Club World Cup 2025 arrives with a bumper crop of net-busting tech. What is the Club World Cup and why is it changing? The Club World Cup 2025 will see 32 of the best domestic soccer teams from around the world descend on the US to battle it out and decide who is worthy of the title 'world champions'. There's a major change for the 2025 tournament, as FIFA has significantly increased the number of clubs competing, from just seven in previous tournaments, to a whopping 32 teams this year. That means even more of the world's best players will be plying their trade at the tournament, giving soccer fans the ultimate viewing experience with 63 games in total. For FIFA, that's an attractive, and more specifically lucrative, situation with increased opportunities for revenue generation from the tournament. It also appeases clubs who have complained in the past about not being invited to the tournament, plus for the US specifically it'll act as a perfect trial event ahead of jointly hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2026. Another change for the Club World Cup is its frequency, as starting from 2025 it will now be a quadrennial (every four years) event, rather than an annual occurrence. The tournament's first game, between Al Ahly and Inter Miami, kicks off on June 14, with the Club World Cup final scheduled for July 13 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. In total, 12 stadiums (including six NFL venues) will host matches across 11 cities; Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)* Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte)* TQL Stadium (Cincinnati) Rose Bowl Stadium (Los Angeles) Hard Rock Stadium (Miami)* GEODIS Park (Nashville) Camping World Stadium (Orlando) Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando) Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)* Lumen Field (Seattle)* Audi Field (Washington, D.C.) MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford)* *NFL stadium, where advanced technology will allow referee camera footage to be broadcast live. Which Teams Are In The Expanded Format? North and Central America will be represented by five teams at the 2025 Club World Cup, with three MLS sides (Inter Miami, Los Angeles FC, Seattle Sounders) appearing at the competition. Europe is the most represented continent at the Club World Cup 2025, with 12 qualifying teams heading out to the US, including Manchester City and Chelsea from the English Premier League, along with Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Some high-profile clubs with recent silverware wins have missed out though, including Liverpool and Barcelona. South America has six clubs representing, while both Asia and Africa are sending four clubs to the tournament. Finally, Oceania has a single club heading to the Club World Cup – rounding off the 32. Confederation Number of Teams Qualified Teams Qualification Route CONCACAF (North & Central America) 5 Inter Miami* Los Angeles FC Monterrey Pachuca Seattle Sounders 3x Champions Cup winners 1x play-off match winner (2025) *1x additional host nation club UEFA (Europe) 12 Atletico Madrid Bayern Munich Benfica Borussia Dortmund Chelsea Inter Milan Juventus Manchester City Paris Saint-Germain Porto Real Madrid Red Ball Salzburg 3x Champions League winners (past three seasons) 9x Champions League best performing clubs (past three seasons) CONMEBOL (South America) 6 Boca Juniors Botafogo Flamengo Fluminense Palmeiras River Plate 4x Copa Libertadores winners 2x best-ranked eligible clubs (past four seasons) CAF (Africa) 4 Al Ahly Esperance de Tunis Mamelodi Sundowns Wydad 2x Champions League winners 2x best-ranked eligible clubs (past four seasons) AFC (Asia) 4 Al Ain Al Hilal Ulsan HD Urawa Red Diamonds 3x Champions League Elite winners 1x best-ranked eligible club (past four seasons) OFC (Oceania) 1 Auckland City 1x Champions League best-ranked eligible club (past four years) What new technology will we see in the new Club World Cup? While the Club World Cup will mean even more games for players who have already completed a long season, there will be a number of new technologies introduced that could change the way the game is enjoyed for years to come. 1. Referee Body Cams Arguably the biggest change is the addition of referee body cams. While this is a trial, and FIFA has stressed it as such, the idea is to offer 'new experiences' for TV viewers, allowing them to see the play from 'a very unique perspective', said Pierlugia Collina, chairman of the FIFA referees committee. The footage is transmitted by a secure, private 5G connection to the production team, who will then be able to use these angles in replays and other coverage. Referee body camera in action. We can expect to see more of this at @FIFACWC ⚽️ Footage from Botafogo vs. Pachuca in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024™ where body cameras were trialled. #TakeItToTheWorld | #FIFACWC | #FootballUnitesTheWorld — FIFA Media (@fifamedia) June 6, 2025 NFL stadiums will be able to show certain elements of the game, such as the coin toss at the start, thanks to the upgraded communication technology already contained within. Not all footage will be eligible for broadcast, sadly. Anything 'controversial', such as red card or penalty decisions, will not be shown = hopefully this will be allowed in the future if the technology proves to be a success. 'Ref cams' have been trialled for the last year in various matches around the world, including the English Premier League and Germany's Bundesliga, but this will be the first time the footage will be broadcasted to the fans. 2. Live Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Video Feeds and clearer communication One of the key frustrations for fans since the introduction of VAR in the early 2020s has been the vague nature of what's happening when watching in the stadium. While those at home are usually informed by the commentators of the reason for the stoppage to check for a possible infringement, those watching live are usually left in the dark. The Club World Cup will see footage from the referee's VAR monitor streamed to the large screens in stadiums, allowing fans to see what's being judged (in a similar fashion to the experience on TV). Once the decision has been made, the referee will then be able to broadcast their decision over the sound system, to ensure everyone knows the reason for the stoppage. Offside Detection One of the more exciting changes (depending on your perspective over whether technology belongs in soccer…) is the increased use of AI to help improve the accuracy of offside decisions. Multiple cameras will be used from all angles, as well as sensors contained within the ball, allowing AI to quickly and more accurately spot where offside infringements are committed. There will also be an audio signal, according to The Athletic, that will alert the assistant referee that they can raise their flag to signal a potential offside, meaning play will be stopped more quickly. This is only a semi-automated system, as the VAR will still have the ability to review controversial decisions. However, as this is one of the more binary situations in soccer as to whether someone is offside or not, the addition of the advanced tech could help the game's flow immensely. 4. Substitution tablet Coming in under the heading of 'why aren't they doing this already?', each team's coaching staff will be given a tablet to give information to the match officials over which substitutions they intend to make. This will mean the end of using (wasteful) paper to signal the decisions, and will help maintain the records of which players are entering and leaving the pitch. New 'eight second rule' for goalkeepers While this one isn't to do with technology, it does involve counting… which is kind of tech-focused, right? Previously, there's been a little-enforced rule that goalkeepers must release the ball from their hands within six seconds, or an indirect free kick would be awarded. To combat the lack of instances of this being penalised, FIFA is trialling a new system at the Club World Cup: goalkeepers will be allowed eight seconds to hold the ball, but the referee will be counting down on their fingers. There will be a warning at five seconds, and if the 'keeper doesn't let it go on time, then a corner will be awarded. This should, like the improved offside technology, should allow the game to flow a little faster and reduce the amount of time the ball's out of play. How can I watch the Club World Cup? FIFA has signed a $1bn deal with broadcast DAZN to show all matches free-to-air for the 2025 iteration of the re-imagined tournament. The first match kicks off at 7PM PT / 10PM ET on Saturday 14 June, where Al-Ahly take on Inter Miami (or to give the club its full name, 'Lionel Messi's Inter Miami'. If you want to watch the games, you can download the DAZN app for most smart TVs, including Hisense, LG and Samsung, on Amazon Fire Stick or Roku or on your smartphone. From there, you'll just need to signup for the DAZN service for free, and you'll be able to use those login details (either through an email address, or using Single Sign on with Google, Facebook or Apple) on your different devices. That means there's no reason to not watch the coverage of all 63 games as this new tournament kicks off. Will it become a fixture in the soccer calendar, or will it be just another set of games being added to the groaning amount of cups for teams to win?
USA Today
37 minutes ago
- USA Today
LAFC fans stage anti-ICE protests as team stands in solidarity
LAFC fans stage anti-ICE protests as team stands in solidarity Amid the Trump Administration's escalating response to protests over ICE raids in Los Angeles, soccer fans in the city are using the sanctuary of sports to stand together with the city's immigrant community. At Los Angeles FC games in particular, the team's independent support group — known as The 3252 — has seen a rise in anti-ICE tifos and signs during matches. The team itself showed solidarity with the protests in the stands in a pre-game message shared to social media on June 8 before taking on Sporting Kansas City. WORLD CUP RELOCATION RUMORS: Why it's unlikely FIFA will move games out of U.S. The 3252 remained silent in protest during the 3-1 victory before chanting 'L.A., Black and Gold. This is Los Angeles, ah-woo, ah-woo, ah-woo" during stoppage time. Here's what it looked like inside BMO Stadium: "This has been a difficult moment for the city of LA," LAFC forward Jeremy Ebobisse said after the match. "I live downtown and I've been seeing and hearing everything that's going on. It breaks the heart to see the callous movements that we're seeing in our streets. "...We're a community, we stand by each other. It's important that in these difficult moments, we reaffirm that and don't back into our corners and be scared because solidarity is the only way through this. It's not normal and we can't treat it as normal. I fear it's only going to continue to escalate. I'm with the 3252 and anyone who's affected." ICE confirmed it would have a presence at Club World Cup games in the United States beginning this weekend. LAFC is slated to open CWC play on Monday, June 16 against Chelsea at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. While the department claimed it would be at CWC games to provide security, ICE said "all non-American citizens need to carry proof of their legal status".
