Well, the European football season has wrapped up, but don't worry, there’s still a whole bunch of exciting matches lined up for fans this summer. All eyes are shifting to the revamped Club World Cup! It’s gone from a seven-team competition to a massive 32-team showdown, pulling teams from all six confederations. They’ll be split into eight groups of four, and the top two from each group will move on to the knockout stages. You know, it’s going to be quite the journey to the final!And get this — the Club World Cup will now only happen once every four years instead of every year. That means the winners will walk away with a jaw-dropping $125 million (£92 million) prize! FIFA president Gianni Infantino has gone as far as to call this event "the pinnacle of elite professional men’s club football." With the United States hosting the first go at this rebooted tournament, it’s definitely set to be a sight to see.
There’s no shortage of star power, either! Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain will be battling for even more glory alongside heavyweights like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Inter, and Juventus. Plus, we’ll see some legendary former stars back on the pitch. GOAL has even put together a list of the top 10 players to watch as we gear up for kick-off on June 14...
1. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
This is a big deal for Inter Miami, marking their first appearance on the world stage. And guess who’s leading the charge? Lionel Messi! The guy's an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner and, believe it or not, he'll turn 38 during the tournament. But don’t let that fool you — he’s still like a footballing alien, making everything look easy. Miami is definitely counting on his brilliance.
2. Luis Suarez (Inter Miami)
Messi’s got the perfect sidekick in Luis Suarez. Remember their days at Barcelona? They had this incredible connection, and now they’re reigniting that chemistry in Florida. Sure, Suarez is dealing with some knee issues, but you can bet he’ll bring his A-game.
3. Thiago Silva (Fluminense)
4. Sergio Ramos (Monterrey)
5. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Al-Hilal)
Now, let’s talk about Real Madrid. Their first year in this new era was a bit more frustrating than exciting. Kylian Mbappé showed some decent form, but Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham struggled a bit. Injuries didn’t help, and honestly, some arrogance crept in. But hey, Los Blancos still managed a season that most clubs would envy — they’re still super talented. They’ve just brought in Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold, so there’s a fresh start on the horizon under new coach Xabi Alonso at the Club World Cup. All the ingredients are there for a potential victory!
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