Who Has the Best Chance to Win the Club World Cup?

Why is the Club World Cup marred by controversy?

The famous proverb "money is not worth a life" seems to have been disregarded by FIFA, the world football federation. The new format of the Club World Cup truly sidelines player safety, particularly the looming threat of serious injuries. In an effort to persuade clubs and players, FIFA is offering bonuses totaling 1 billion US dollars.

The 2025 Club World Cup is only two weeks away from the pinnacle match of the grandest stage in Europe, the UEFA Champions League. Paris Saint-Germain is separated by approximately 10 days since holding a celebration for their first European title in Paris.

Inter Milan has not yet fully recovered from the trauma of their winless season this year. Furthermore, they have not yet bid farewell to Simone Inzaghi, who has left to accept an offer from the Saudi Arabian club, Al-Hilal. "I Nerazzurri" must now fight again in an official tournament in the United States.

The majority of players who are part of the 32 participating teams are also spread across their national teams for two international matches taking place from June 3 to 11. Certainly, the players representing their countries have not yet enjoyed an ideal holiday after undergoing a long competitive season.

The players have not yet had the opportunity to sunbathe and party in Ibiza (Spain) or Mykonos (Greece), which are popular vacation spots for European players. After completing the competition with their clubs, they joined the national team.

Is the Club World Cup prestigious enough?

A total of 32 clubs from 20 countries will compete for the trophy in the new format of the FIFA Club World Cup, which begins on Sunday (15/6/2025) at 07:00 WIB. The uneven strength of the participating clubs could lead to monotonous competition. However, teams from mid-tier leagues and confederations have significant potential to create surprises in the United States.

The captain of the 2022 World Cup champion team, Argentina, Lionel Messi, has the honor of participating in the opening match of the new format of the 2025 Club World Cup. Together with Inter Miami, which is the host team, Messi will kick off the competition to find the best club in the world and will use the emblem of the best club in the world for the next four years.

Miami will face the Egyptian giant, Al Ahly, which holds the title of the most successful team in the African Champions League over the past four years. The inaugural match of the 2025 Club World Cup, which will be accompanied by an opening ceremony, will take place at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, Florida, USA.

Having Messi and former Barcelona stars such as Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba does not automatically make Miami the favorites. The players who filled the squad during Barcelona's golden era in the 2010s have already entered the twilight of their football careers.

Why is the Club World Cup the last event for senior star players?

Two veteran players, Thomas Mueller and Luka Modric, are set to play their final matches with their clubs in the 2025 Club World Cup. Mueller does not want to miss the opportunity to secure one last trophy for his lifelong club, Bayern Munich. Meanwhile, Modric aims to conclude his illustrious career with Real Madrid by winning the world champion trophy.

Mueller is an anomaly in the current era of modern football. He has remained loyal to a single club, Bayern, throughout his professional football career, which began in 2008. For 17 years, Mueller has consistently been included in the squad list of "Die Roten" across all competitions.

If combined with his tenure at Bayern since attending the Bayern football academy, Mueller has been in the environment of the most successful club in Germany for 25 years. It seems difficult for future generations of new players to match the duration of service of the 35-year-old player to Bayern.

It is no surprise that Mueller has established himself as the player with the most appearances for Bayern. In total, he has represented Bayern in 751 matches. Averaging this over his 18-year professional career, Mueller has played an average of 42 matches per season.

This demonstrates Mueller's commitment as well as his level of fitness, allowing him to perform consistently over a long period. He has also contributed 13 Bundesliga trophies to Bayern, the most recent of which was awarded in the 2024-2025 season. A total of 33 trophies have been lifted by Mueller while wearing the Bayern jersey.

Who has the best chance of becoming the first champion?

Nothing is more painful than being slapped by expectations. This experience was felt by Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Inter Milan in the recently concluded season. Expected to dominate Europe, they instead ended the season tragically without a single trophy. The three giants are now seeking redemption in the FIFA Club World Cup.

The tournament presents an opportunity to win a trophy while testing the strength of teams ahead of the new season. A total of 32 of the best teams from around the world have submitted their player rosters to participate in the competition, which will take place from June 15 to July 13, 2025, in the United States. The Club World Cup was originally held annually and featured the winning teams from club championships in their respective continents.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino then proposed the expansion of the competition to 32 teams, with the tournament held every four years. This new format was initially set to be implemented in 2021. However, the Covid-19 pandemic ultimately led to the cancellation of the event. Thus, 2025 will be the first year for the new format of the Club World Cup.

The prestige of the FIFA Club World Cup has not been significantly greater than that of the UEFA Champions League due to the vast disparity in the strength of the participating teams. Since its inception in 2000, only representatives from Europe and Latin America have ever been crowned champions.