Bayern Munich Party, Auckland City Resilience Stage

Bayern Munich and Auckland City are like earth and sky. From various aspects, they are separated by a vast distance. Status, capability, and squad value mark this disparity. Therefore, when Bayern won against Auckland City by a double-digit score of 10-0, it seemed like something inevitable.

Playing in the opening match of Group C of the 2025 Club World Cup at TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States on Sunday (15/6/2025), Bayern completed their task effectively. Through a barrage of goals, Harry Kane and his teammates set the record for the largest victory in the history of the event. They appeared to show no mercy.

Understandably, Bayern arrived in the United States with the primary goal of securing a title. Each victory will bring "Die Roten," the nickname for Bayern, closer to a goal that could provide them with a financial boost of up to 125 million US dollars.

Thomas Muller, who contributed two goals (45', 89') to set a record of 250 goals with Bayern, stated that his team continues to pursue every opportunity to score against Auckland City. When they succeed in scoring, they immediately desire the next goal.

In addition to Muller, Kingsley Coman (6’, 21’) and Michel Olise (20’, 45+3’) also scored braces. Sacha Boey (18’) contributed one goal and Jamal Musiala scored a hattrick (67’, 73’-penalty, 84’).

"We don't take the risk that something could happen," Muller was quoted as saying on the club's official website.

"We played well, played seriously, played with intensity," he said again.

Bayern did not relent in their attack for a single moment until the match concluded. Indeed, there were not many expectations for Auckland City, but the encounter felt brutal.

The two teams were not supposed to compete against each other. Moreover, the meeting took place in a tournament that is referred to as a gathering of the best teams in the world.

What happened on the field then seemed to sharpen the disparity between the two teams. In the first competitive meeting with Auckland City, or any club from New Zealand, Bayern was the giant team that celebrated. They demonstrated unmatched dominance as a great team.

Auckland City is a "small" team that is the only amateur team in the 2025 Club World Cup, demonstrating what they have always done: resilience. This club, along with its players, consists of individuals who are accustomed to various unpleasant situations but always manage to endure and overcome them.

Auckland City is a working-class club. All players representing the club against Bayern have full-time jobs and must take annual leave just to make this trip.

Some players even took unpaid leave. Meanwhile, some key players were unable to take any time off at all, which means they did not travel to the US.

Angus Kilkolly, for example. This hardworking and intuitive striker for Auckland City is also a regional manager for a tool company. He uses all of his annual leave for football trips.

This year, Kilkolly has played in the Solomon Islands and had to take unpaid leave to cover their living expenses in the United States. However, that is the life Kilkolly has chosen, as football has become an inseparable part of it.

Facing Bayern, Kilkolly and his teammates refused to give up, much like in a life that often seems brutal. He, who came on in the 71st minute to replace Dylan Manickum, was even able to create a promising counterattack just 9 minutes after entering the game.

Kilkolly ran down the left wing without support from other players, while Bayern's defenders surrounded him from all sides. His shot did not result in a goal, but it forced goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to make a save by diving.

Kilkolly told The Athletic that he was in the middle of a training session three years ago when he received a call to say his brother had committed suicide. Last year, his father died in April, having been diagnosed with cancer two months earlier.

Amidst prolonged shock and sadness, football has provided a refuge for this 29-year-old player. "I come from a region that requires you to be resilient, and you are taught from an early age that life is not always easy," said Kilkolly, who scored the only accurate shot for Auckland City against Bayern.

"However, there are times when life feels difficult and football becomes a savior. Being able to train and play so much has provided me with a pleasant place, and for two or three hours, football has given me a space where I can forget everything," he said.

In addition to Kilkolly, goalkeeper Conor Tracey also demonstrated that resilience. Tracey, despite conceding double-digit goals, made several outstanding saves. He appeared to lose focus towards the end of the match by passing the ball to Jamal Musiala, who did not waste the opportunity to score his third goal.

For Tracey, who works more than 40 hours a week in a veterinary pharmacy warehouse, playing in the Club World Cup is the pinnacle of her career. "There have been several times I thought about quitting football, and many players have done so over the years, due to being too busy with family and careers. However, the Club World Cup is a goal worth striving for with hard work," she told ABC.

On the other hand, Tracey is a real illustration of the vast difference between Auckland City and Bayern. The players of Auckland City are not professional footballers, unlike the players of Bayern.

Tracey spends her salary from football, which is capped at 150 US dollars per week for expenses, on gas for her commute from work to training, which often takes up to two hours. Meanwhile, Manuel Neuer is reported to earn 700,000 dollars per week at Bayern.

Not only that, there is a striking difference between Bayern and Auckland City. According to Transfermrkt, Auckland City has a total squad value of 4.58 million euros. This amount is only about 0.5 percent of Bayern's squad value, which reaches 903.50 million euros.

The squad value difference, which nearly reaches 900 million euros, is not significantly better compared to other teams in Group C. Benfica has a squad value of 363.5 million euros, while Boca Juniors has a squad value of 86.43 million euros.

Bayern are indeed superior in every way. However, The Navy Blues, Auckland City's nickname, are not coming to the US for tourism either.

The 2025 Club World Cup marks the 13th time they have qualified for the event and the 12th time they have participated (they were unable to attend during the pandemic). They are able to compete in this tournament as they are the champions of the Oceania Champions League.

Despite being a team that is often underestimated in the Club World Cup, Auckland City managed to secure a bronze medal in the 2014 edition. They defeated Cruz Azul from LigaMX Mexico through a penalty shootout in the battle for third place.

Auckland City, the most successful team in the history of New Zealand football and proudly holding a record of 13 Oceania Champions League titles, arrives at the tournament with positive momentum from four consecutive victories in domestic action.

Although ultimately suffering a crushing defeat to Bayen, Auckland coach Ivan Vicelich also expressed pride in his players' efforts. "We are proud of the players. It is a dream for amateur players to compete in an environment like this," he said.

"You cannot hide on the field. (I am) very proud, many players put in a good effort and worked very hard," said Vicelich.

Amidst Bayern's goal fest, Auckland City drew attention for standing tall and seemingly enjoying the match. They represent a spirit that cannot be bought and a resilience that cannot be measured by numbers. Their dreams remain alive, even when life itself is often brutal and filled with disparities.