Pep Guardiola’s side will be hoping to defend their title, but they face a tougher test this year, with the competition now under a new format.
Man City naturally qualify after lifting the 2023 edition, and they face a Morocco-based side who have won 22 league titles. Wydad qualified through their CAF Champions League triumph during the 2021/2022 campaign.
Team news
City fans will be excited by the prospect of seeing some of their new additions, with Rayan Cherki, Rayan Aït-Nouri, and Tijjani Reijnders all named in their Club World Cup squad after signing earlier in the summer window. Mateo Kovačić and Jack Grealish are among those who failed to make the squad, with the former nursing a heel injury.
Wydad are also welcoming a new signing, and one who some Premier League followers may remember. Former Watford winger Nordin Amrabat, the brother of Sofyan Amrabat, recently signed for the Moroccan side.
Man City ended the season strongly
Despite a disappointing season overall, City are going into the tournament on a strong run of form. Guardiola’s side have lost just once since the beginning of March, albeit suffering a defeat in a crucial FA Cup final game against Crystal Palace in May.
Goals conceded per game, Champions League 2024/25
Defensively is where City struggled in the 2024/2025 campaign, particularly in the Champions League. The Citizens conceded a whopping two goals per game on average in Europe’s elite club competition, ranking them 26th this season.
Wydad going through a tricky period
Wydad are representing their country at the competition but they were far from the best side in Morocco this season. Finishing third, Wydad were 16 points behind league leaders RS Berkane, despite having a strong end to the campaign themselves.
Amine Benhachem’s side drew 12 league games out of 30 during the season, despite Mohamed Rayhi, who could be a player to watch, scoring 11 goals in 17 starts.
Cherki the superstar waiting to explode
Cherki’s career has been an interesting one so far, bursting onto the scene as one of the most exciting youngsters in world football. His progress has been up and down since arriving in senior football, but he’s starting to show why he was so hyped as a young talent.
Cherki stood out in a Lyon side who just broke into the Europa League places, providing a goalscoring and creative threat which City will need. Phil Foden’s form has dropped off while Kevin De Bruyne was allowed to leave the club to join Napoli, and now could be the chance for Cherki to announce himself to the world.
Cherki’s possession stats in Ligue 1 this season
Prediction
Man City will understandably be the heavy favourites heading into this game, and although Guardiola might be tempted to rest some players for the tougher games ahead, there is a heavy financial incentive on offer for winning each match.
We’re going for a comfortable 5-0 victory for Guardiola’s side.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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On paper, the Spaniard was the standout candidate. Carlo Ancelotti enjoyed plenty of success with Los Blancos, especially during his second stint, but the 2024/25 campaign was a disappointment.
Alonso had emerged as one of the finest young coaches on the continent throughout his time in charge of Bayer Leverkusen. Not only did he lead the club to their first ever Bundesliga title – doing so unbeaten – but he also won the DFB Pokal and reached the Europa League final.
This season, Leverkusen may have finished trophyless, but Alonso’s ideology was clearly what impressed Florentino Pérez the most.
His first test comes at the inaugural Club World Cup in America over the next few weeks.
What to expect from Alonso’s Real Madrid at the Club World Cup
First and foremost, Alonso wont be taking the competition lightly. With a total prize fund of around $1bn on offer to all 32 clubs taking part, the winners will receive around $125m.
While some clubs may be using the tournament as a glorified pre-season, going as far as possible is expected by all at Real Madrid.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was officially announced as a Madrid player last week, paying Liverpool £10m so that he would be available early for the Club World Cup.
Given Alonso’s success with attacking full-backs such as Jeremie Frimpong and Alejandro Grimaldo at Leverkusen, the Englishman will fit into Alonso’s tactical system seamlessly.
This signifies that the manager is not resting on his laurels as he aims to get a trophy under his belt as soon as possible.
Starting off, Los Blancos take on Al-Hilal, RB Salzburg and Pachuca in Group H and they really couldn’t have asked for a better draw.
Alonso will be able to ease his team into the tournament without too many taxing games across the first week or so and it will give the former Madrid midfielder a chance to experiment with his starting XI.
At Leverkusen, he tended to utilise a 3-4-2-1 system throughout his time in charge. Two attacking midfielders operating behind a lone striker offered plenty through the middle of the pitch.
Alonso’s last starting XI at Bayer Leverkusen
Elsewhere, two wing-backs supported the rest of the midfield and this was a job that Frimpong and Grimaldo carried out exceptionally well.
At Madrid, however, this could change into a 3-4-1-2 due to the players at his disposal. One thing Ancelotti struggled with was incorporating both Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior into the same side.
Too many cooks spoil the broth as the old saying goes and this was an issue last term. Trying to shoehorn the aforementioned two, along with Rodrygo and Arda Güler was nigh on impossible.
Therefore, Alonso will likely deploy Mbappé and Vinícius as his front two, unleashing a potentially lethal partnership in the process.
This may well be on show over the coming weeks in America as the manager seeks to test out this system in the relatively stress free environment of the group stages.
Xabi Alonso must get the best out of his star players
The real test for Alonso will be how he begins the season in La Liga and the Champions League in a couple of months time.
Obviously, victory across the Atlantic would be a major confidence boost, but after the tournament, Jude Bellingham is set to undergo shoulder surgery, ruling him out for a couple of months at least.
Last season saw a drop off in his performances compared to the campaign before. Indeed, he scored ten fewer league goals than in 2023/24, while Bellingham also failed to rank in the top 40% for chances created (1.52) per 90 and in the top 30% for shots (2.24) per 90 in LaLiga.
If Alonso does go ahead with his preferred tactical system, the Englishman could play just behind the front two. Of course, the supporters wouldn’t see this until a few months into the season, but it is a tantalising prospect.
Mbappé may have scored 43 goals across 56 games in his debut season with Madrid, yet the club failed to win either LaLiga or the Champions League.
Mbappé’s first season summary at Madrid
The Galactico era between 2000 and 2007 saw Madrid amass the best collection of players, yet they were rarely the best team. Did Mbappé’s presence hinder the team more often than not last season?
Both Mbappé and Vinícius see the left-wing as their best position, which often proved problematic last term. The Frenchman would tend to gravitate out wide, despite operating in a more central role.
There was nothing wrong with his statistics. indeed, the former PSG star ranked in the top 3% for shots (4.97) per 90 and in the top 10% for chances created (1.57) per 90 in the top flight last season.
Getting the best out of Bellingham and Mbappé next season will determine whether Alonso is a success at Madrid.
The 43-year-old wont be judged properly until 2025/26 is underway. But if he can get his team to play dynamic, exciting football at the Club World Cup, perhaps even winning the tournament, then expectations will certainly rise.
Alonso is ready to usher in a new era at the Bernabéu. One that could take the club back to the summit of European football.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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With both coaches favouring a back-three system and nurturing a similar football philosophy, changes are inevitable within either squad. Furthermore, both clubs have been busy in the transfer market ahead of the tournament, with Los Blancos being successful and bringing in Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Franco Mastantuono (albeit, he will join in August), while the Saudi Pro League runners-up’s efforts to lure Theo Hernández, Bruno Fernandes and Victor Osimhen, among others, have been rebuffed for now.
The opening match of Group H in Miami will be a repeat of the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup final, when the then-European champions cruised past Al Hilal the Moroccan capital of Rabat, with Federico Valverde and Vinícius Júnior scoring braces in a eight goal thriller, leading Real Madrid to their fifth title in the competition.
Quite a few players that starred in that contest remain at their clubs with the captains, Luka Modrić and Salem Al-Dawsari spearheading the list.
Key Players
The Club World Cup will be ‘The Last Dance’ for at least a couple of players in Los Blancos’ dressing room, lLucas Vázquez for one, but more notably for their aforementioned captain – Luka Modrić, who will leave as the most decorated player in Real Madrid’s history. With that being said, this will be the Croat’s final opportunity to lift additional silverware and help his former teammate, Xabi Alonso, to get off to a victorious start back at the club where he once played.
On the other side, Aleksandar Mitrović is set to be the main protagonist for Al Hilal after the Saudi club failed to sign a new star striker in the build up to the tournament and the Serbian goalscorer will be integral to Simone Inzaghi’-led squad’s plans. The prolific ‘Mitrogol’ is averaging 34 goals a season across all competitions since moving to Saudi Arabia back in 2023.
Mitrović’s shot map from the Saudi Pro League, 2024/25
Team news
With Alonso and Inzaghi destined to implement 3-4-3 and / or 3-5-2 formations or a rumoured 4-2-3-1, respectively, a lot will hinge on the availability of their key defenders. Thankfully for the Spaniard, Antonio Rüdiger, Éder Militão, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy, Dani Carvajal are all closing in on a return from injury, while the Italian has a full squad to pick from. Also, new signings Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold are expected to be heavily involved right off the start, while it will be interesting to see how Alonso will use Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo and Kylian Mbappé.
Possible XI made with the FotMob lineup builder exclusive to fotmob.com
Prediction
Real Madrid and Al Hilal are expected to battle it out for top spot in Group H, with all due respect to Pachuca and Salzburg, and amid many unknowns at the beginning of their respective new eras, I expect a winning debut for Xabi Alonso and an exciting match with more than a few goals.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Gennaro Gattuso is synonymous with a certain era of Italian glory. Picture the Azzurri winning the World Cup in 2006 and the combative midfielder will be one of the players that immediately comes to mind along with the likes of Fabio Cannavaro, Andrea Pirlo and Gianluigi Buffon. Gattuso is an icon.
Whether he will be a good national team manager, however, is open to debate. Hired as Luciano Spalletti’s replacement last week, the 47-year-old is now responsible for ending Italy’s World Cup drought by guiding the Azzurri to the 2026 tournament. That in itself has made some supporters fearful.
While Gattuso was an elite level player, his management career to date hasn’t been so successful. The Italy job is his 10th different management position yet Gattuso hasn’t made much of an impression, at least not a positive one, at any of his previous teams. Gattuso won the Coppa Italia as Napoli boss, but lasted just 18 months at the club.
Most recently, Gattuso was in charge of Hajduk Split in Croatia. Hajduk led the way for much of the season and it looked like Gattuso would finally end Dinamo Zagreb’s iron grip on the title (Zagreb, coincidentally, were led by Cannavaro for a brief period), but ultimately the campaign ended in disappointment. Hajduk slipped to third, winning just two of their last eight games. Gattuso was also a volatile figure during his time in Croatia, making a habit of arguing with his own fans and even storming a TV studio to confront a pundit who criticised his tactics. He was let go at the end of the season.
In the words of Gabriele Gravina, the FIGC president, Gattuso is “a symbol of Italian football.” This might be true, but perhaps not in the way Gravina intended because many see the appointment of Gattuso as reflective of a soccer nation in generational trouble. Italy has fallen a long way behind the curve in recent times and Gattuso can do very little to change that.
Gattuso inherits the weakest Italian national team in a generation. Many believe this is the weakest Azzurri side ever, pointing to a lack of elite level talent throughout the squad. When Italy last won the World Cup in 2006, they boasted a team of superstars. This was the norm for the Azzurri.
Now, Italy are struggling for just one superstar. Gianluigi Donnarumma is a Champions League winner and one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Alessandro Bastoni is also an exceptional centre back with Nicolo Barella one of the most accomplished two-way midfielders in the game right now. Beyond these three, though, Italy’s squad is distinctly mediocre.
It’s been this way for a while. The pipeline of young talent into the Italian national team stopped flowing freely a number of years ago with Italy’s failure to qualify for a World Cup since 2014 a reflection of this.
In Serie A this season, players age 21 and under received 8.2% of all minutes played. In LaLiga, that number stood at 14.5%. The contrast is even starker when considering Spanish champions Barcelona gave 38.3% of their total minutes to players age 21 or under. The Italian champions Napoli, on the other hand, didn’t play a single player age 21 or under. It was the same for Inter Milan.
There are many theories on why Italy has stopped producing young players. Some point to the influx of outside investment in Serie A clubs and an increased drive to sign players from abroad. Others claim the problem is societal and that Italian youngsters have it easier now than they did in previous generations.
Italy’s FIFA ranking history
“We used to play for three or four hours on the street and then go to train, today this no longer happens,” said former Italy manager Roberto Mancini when asked about Italy’s talent crisis. “It is no coincidence that players are still discovered in those countries, such as Uruguay, Argentina or Brazil, where people still play a lot in the streets.”
One thing’s for certain, Gattuso won’t be able restart Italian football’s talent factory just as Spalletti and Mancini weren’t able to. The Italian game needs a reboot in the same way German football did in the early 2000s or English football did in the 2010s. Both countries have shown the route to recovery, but Italy needs a systemic overhaul.
Italy’s World Cup qualifying group
Italy’s best hope in the immediate term is that they can find an approach and system that gets the best out of the players they have. Mancini did this at Euro 2020, setting up the Azzurri to play in quick transition on their way to winning the tournament against the odds. Gattuso could do something similar to turn around Italy’s 2026 World Cup chances.
In a sense, Gattuso’s combative character could energise Italy. He will give many of his underperforming players a rocket, as is typical for the former midfielder nicknamed “Ringhio” – “Snarl.” However, only so much shouting and screaming can make up for a lack of talent. Even if Gattuso is the right manager, Italy might not have the right players.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Premier League giants Chelsea start their campaign in the fancy new-look FIFA Club World Cup against MLS side LAFC on Monday, hoping to reaffirm their qualification for next season’s Champions League with a good run against some of the globe’s best sides.
Enzo Maresca’s side won’t want to underestimate the Americans, however. Well-funded and well-rounded, LAFC are one of the better sides in the MLS’ Western Conference and fully deserving to be one of the league’s three representatives.
How did they get here?
Pundit Jamie Carragher may not like it, but Chelsea will be in the Club World Cup by virtue of their Champions League win back in 2021, which is just inside the qualifying period. They also won the old version of this tournament with a 2-1 extra-time win over Brazilian side Palmeiras later that year.
LAFC’s induction was a little less orthodox. Mexican side Club León were expelled due to FIFA’s multi-club ownership rules. Both León and Pachuca, another Mexican club, are owned by the same entity, Grupo Pachuca.
A one-off playoff against Club América ensued, and after their 2-1 comeback win, LAFC will now be putting their domestic season on hold in order to compete with some of the best clubs from Europe and the rest of the world.
A reunion with the most handsome man in football
Chelsea fans will get the opportunity to see cult hero Olivier Giroud once again when these two sides face off. He’s not the player that scored in the 4-1 Europa League final win over Arsenal, but he will be welcomed with open arms.
Now 38, Giroud has struggled since moving to LA from AC Milan as a designated player back in the summer of 2024, scoring just five goals in his 34 games across all competitions for the club.
Funnily enough, two of those goals have come in his last three games and with his penchant for the spectacular and an ability to score a goal from nothing, Chelsea will have to keep an eye of their former forward. He’s not just a pretty face.
A few potential Chelsea debuts
Maresca’s side missed out on deals for Jamie Gittens and Mike Maignan after failing to agree terms with Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan, respectively. That doesn’t mean there won’t be some debuts, however.
New arrivals Liam Delap, Dário Essugo and Mamadou Sarr will all be the squad, along with loan star Andrey Santos. All four of these lads will be hoping to make an impression on Maresca ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Delap is arguably the most exciting of those players. Taking the cursed number nine shirt, the combative forward has drawn comparisons to Diego Costa. If the former Man City academy graduate as a similar kind of impact, the fans will love him.
Delap’s shot map for his 12 Premier League goals with Ipswich this season
Denis Bouanga is a problem
Playing anywhere along the forward line but with a penchant for cutting in from the left and shooting, Bouanga is one of the best and most consistent goal scorers in MLS history, he’s going to be a real problem for Chelsea. Eighty-one goals in his 128 games across all competitions for the club speaks for itself.
Bouanga’s numbers in MLS this season
He was the main man in the win over Club América, dragging LAFC to the Club World Cup with an assist for Igor Jesus’ 89th minute equaliser and then bagging in the 115th minute to round off the scoring.
Over his last ten games across all competitions, Bouanga has made 14 goal contributions, there are few players on the planet as in-form as him at this moment in time. He’s never come up against Reece James, though.
Prediction
Chelsea have just ended their season, while LAFC are in the middle of theirs. Don’t expect the Premier League side to be in top gear for this one, all of the European clubs will likely be taking it easy until the back end of the tournament. We’re going to go with a 2-1 win for Chelsea.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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The US men’s national team aren’t where they want to be right now. With the 2026 World Cup on home soil now less than a year away, Mauricio Pochettino’s side are in bad shape. Supporters are starting to panic.
Last week’s friendly defeats to Türkiye and Switzerland only added to the concern, extending the USA’s losing run to four games. The 4-0 loss to Switzerland was particularly damaging as the USA looked grossly out of their depth.
Nonetheless, it’s impossible to ignore the negativity around the USMNT right now. Pochettino needs a good showing at the Gold Cup to turn things around.
Trinidad and Tobago, on the other hand, enter Sunday’s match on the back of a credible 2-1 loss to Costa Rica and a 6-2 demolition of Saint Kitts and Nevis in World Cup qualifying. They are buoyant.
Key players
Diego Luna is the beating heart of Pochettino’s USA. The Real Salt Lake playmaker is one of the few players who looks to have embraced the manager’s ideas, giving the US some much-needed intensity and creativity in the final third.
Patrick Agyemang is another who has earned Pochettino’s trust. The Charlotte FC centre forward is raw and isn’t always the most precise in front of goal, but has the physical attributes to cause opposition defences problems in quick transition.
Tyler Adams will start at the base of the midfield if fit and available while Luca De La Torre could come back into the lineup. The San Diego midfielder was missed in the loss to Switzerland.
Tyler Adams’ player traits, compared against other midfielders in top 5 European leagues
At the back, Chris Richards is the dominant defensive presence in the US backline. It will be on the FA Cup-winning centre back to organise and lead the USA in defence.
Levi García found the back of the net for the Soca Warriors against Costa Rica and could similarly be a threat against the USA. Coach Dwight Yorke will also need the experience of Alvin Jones and Kevin Molino to secure a result.
Team news
Adams missed the friendly against Switzerland with a minor injury after playing the second half of the narrow defeat to Türkiye. The Bournemouth midfielder is crucial to the USA who need him in central midfield.
Pochettino faces a decision over his starting goalkeeper. Matt Turner’s rustiness was on display in the 4-0 defeat to the Swiss as he made a blunder which led to the third goal. New York City FC goalkeeper Matt Freese could be given an opportunity from the start on Sunday.
Josiah Trimmingham suffered a knee injury in the friendly against Costa Rica and won’t feature against the USA. Jones is eligible to play despite being shown a red card in Trinidad & Tobago’s last outing.
Prediction
Despite all the absences and the media talk, we believe the US will have enough to get past Dwight Yorke’s underdogs in this opening contest: USA 2-0 Trinidad & Tobago.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Whether or not the Club World Cup is of interest and whether or not its expansion and existence sits well with everyone, the fact is, some players and some teams simply mean matches will be watched. PSG against Atlético Madrid is likely one of them, with the new-crowned European champions eyeing up a global double.
It’s no surprise that when the biggest teams lock horns, the paying fans want to see the best attackers on show and producing their best form. If they do so here it could be a wild affair indeed – Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on one side; Antoine Griezmann, Julián Alvarez and 20-goal Alexander Sørloth on the other. Of course, this not being a league encounter doesn’t just mean they’ll be allowed free reign entirely, particularly given the managers on the touchlines. Luis Enrique might favour attacking play, but it’s within a very cohesive unit with work rate and structure at the heart of the plan. As for Diego Simeone, the whole world knows his demands only start with world class work rate.
Giant prize?
There is both a new trophy and enormous economical advantages which come with this revamped competition so the clubs will certainly want to see if they can go far. Note: that’s a potential difference between the clubs and the teams. We’re yet to see what the latter think of it.
However, one thing is worth noting: Diego Simeone has said the best way to keep Atlético’s best players is to show them they can win trophies. While Atleti didn’t manage that last season, this competition might be another chance to do so.
The Club World Cup has historically perhaps been seen more as one to win by South Americans than Europeans; Simeone comes into that category, as does one of his sought-after attackers in Alvarez. Of course, one team reportedly keen on the Argentinian forward…is PSG.
Alvarez’s shot map from LaLiga this season
End of season form
It couldn’t really have gone much better for the French champions in their run-in: they had already won Ligue 1 but PSG won five on the bounce to complete a treble, claiming the Champions League and Coupe de France in the process. Atlético won three of their last five to finish third in LaLiga, but were way off the pace of champions Barcelona.
Team news
Both have named full squads for the Club World Cup, though it’s difficult to say who might be involved from the outset after long seasons and with a potential seven matches to play here in short succession. Neither have reported major injuries since the end of the campaign.
Key player
Ousmane Dembélé had unquestionably the best campaign of his career, transformed as a hard-working centre-forward who could both create and score for his team. PSG’s best for goals per 90, shots per 90, chances created, xA per 90 and second for successful dribbles.
Dembélé’s extraordinary season summary
Prediction
A game where both are happy to let relatively loose, not be constrained too much by future needs and, hopefully, show their technical talents with regularity. If so, goals are the outcome: PSG 2-1 Atlético.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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All eyes will be on Lionel Messi and Inter Miami as they open the controversial FIFA Club World Cup at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Saturday night.
Inter Miami qualified for the tournament in controversial circumstances, too.
Though there was no doubt they were the most consistently good team in MLS in 2024, winning the Supporters’ Shield by topping the overall league table in record-breaking fashion, the qualification criteria for a US host team were not known until very late in the day.
In American sports, the post-season playoffs are used to determine that year’s champion, so many thought the host place should have gone to the 2024 MLS Cup winners, LA Galaxy.
But Inter Miami got the nod, meaning FIFA gets Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, et al in their new-look Club World Cup tournament.
Stars still shine, but defence is an issue
Messi is not quite hitting the heights that saw him named MLS MVP in 2024, when he averaged over one goal per 90 minutes, but he remains the league’s outstanding player.
Messi tops the MLS charts for goals and assists combined with 15, is already in double figures for goals with 10, and boasts the highest FotMob rating in the league.
His teammate Luis Suárez is joint top of the assists charts with seven, while Sergio Busquets is still a master at playmaking from deep.
Despite having played a game fewer than most teams, and two games fewer than some others, Inter Miami are the highest scoring team in MLS so far in the 2025 season.
They do have a problem in defence, though, and only four teams in the 15-team Eastern Conference have conceded more goals than Inter Miami’s 27.
Inter Miami are 24th out of 30 MLS teams in terms of Goals conceded per match
Coach Javier Mascherano was tasked with adding some solidity to the structure of the side behind the star names, but even though there was a promising start to 2025, the defence soon began to leak.
This will give Al Ahly plenty of encouragement.
Peripheral difference-makers and young prospects
There are a handful of Inter Miami players to look out for outside of the ex-Barcelona stars.
Allende, 26, is second in the team’s goalscoring charts with six, and such performances in support of Messi and Suárez can make all the difference.
Segovia has seven goal contributions so far and has gone some way towards replacing the talent of Diego Gómez, who left for Brighton having been one of MLS’s standout young players.
Al Ahly – genuine giants of world football
Al Ahly qualified for this tournament on the back of their CAF Champions League win in 2021.
It’s a tournament they went on to win again in 2023 and 2024, meaning they met the main qualification criteria for this tournament on three occasions.
This goes some way to indicating the size and pedigree of the Egyptian club, who are one of the biggest in the world, not just in Africa.
Al Ahly have 12 Champions League titles and are the most decorated side in Africa
Former Aston Villa forward Trézéguet, who was a youth player at Al Ahly before moving to Europe, has returned to the club ahead of the 2025/26 season and features in their Club World Cup squad.
They are captained by the Egypt national team goalkeeper, Mohamed El Shenawy.
Prediction
Al Ahly’s continental form in the CAF Champions League might give the best indication of how tough a test Inter Miami will face.
The Egyptians were knocked out on away goals in the semifinal against another Club World Cup side, Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, and also lost a couple of group games in the most recent campaign.
It is one of the Club World Cup’s intriguing matches, featuring teams who will be looking to show they can mix it with opponents from other leagues, but as is the case in MLS, if Messi fires, Miami will win.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
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Real Madrid-bound wonderkid Franco Mastantuono could be one of the breakout stars of the 2025 Club World Cup for a River Plate team enjoying his presence while they can.
River Plate have sent more than their fair share of young stars to Europe. Julián Alvarez, Enzo Fernández and Claudio Echeverri have all used the Buenos Aires club as a springboard in recent years and in Franco Mastantuono they have another wonderkid destined for the highest level of the game.
Mastantuono is a 17-year-old winger reportedly on his way to Real Madrid for €45m this summer. Several of Europe’s biggest clubs including Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea were linked with the teenager, but the Santiago Bernabéu will be the perfect stage for one of the brightest attacking talents anywhere in world football right now.
Mastantuono player traits
Before pitching up in the Spanish capital, though, Mastantuono will have the opportunity to make an impact for River Plate at the Club World Cup. The Argentine giants are plotting a run at this summer’s tournament in the USA with their teenage prodigy central to their chances. At just 17, Mastantuono might already be River’s best player.
Normally deployed on the right side of a front three, Mastantuono is a one-man creative hub. He can pass and boasts impressive progressive possession numbers. He can also dribble and is ranked in the 94th percentile for carries into the final third per 90 minutes (3.22). The teenager has an all-round game beyond his fledgling years.
In just 19 matches for River Plate this season, Mastantuono has registered seven goals and four assists. The 17-year-old has been likened to Lamine Yamal in the way he cuts inside off the right wing to take on opponents and pose a goal threat. Such comparisons are lofty, but this is a player widely dubbed the “pearl” of Argentinean football.
Mastantuono has already been capped at international level, making his Argentina debut in a 1-0 away win over Chile earlier this month to become the youngest player in Albiceleste history. Argentina are on the brink of a generational transition with the likes of Lionel Messi, Ángel Di María and Nicolas Otamendi well into the twilight of their careers and Mastantuono’s emergence is timely.
Since making his debut as River Plate’s third youngest-ever player in January 2024, there has been hype around Mastantuono. River quickly inserted a €45m release clause in the contract of their brightest young talent and fast-tracked him into the first team. Not even this, however, will be enough to keep Mastantuono at El Monumental beyond his 18th birthday.
Real Madrid’s interest in Mastantuono is long-standing. The Spanish giants attempted to get a deal done for the winger last year just as he was establishing himself in River Plate’s first team. Real Madrid scouts have reportedly watched Mastantuono from the age of 14, believing he could be a big part of the club’s next generation.
Mastantuono’s first team career to date
Of course, Real Madrid already have a collection of teenage prodigies. They spent €60m to sign Endrick as a 16-year-old with the Brazilian joining the Santiago Bernabéu outfit last year. Arda Güler is another wonderkid currently on the books of Los Blancos with Dean Huijsen recently arriving from Bournemouth as one of the best young defenders in the world.
Before Endrick, Güler and Huijsen, there was Rodrygo and Vinícius Júnior who were similarly signed for big money as teenagers in South America. Vinícius’ transfer for €46m in 2017 was the subject of particular scrutiny until the Brazilian flourished into one of the best wide attackers in the world. €46m quickly represented money well spent.
The problem for Mastantuono is that there is such competition for attacking places at the Santiago Bernabéu right now that his development could be stunted there. Yamal burst on to the scene because Barcelona were desperate for a right winger. There was a place in the lineup to be earned. Real Madrid don’t currently have the same issue.
Xabi Alonso will remould the team he inherited from Carlo Ancelotti in his own image with the Club World Cup an opportunity to make a winning start as Real Madrid manager. It could be the case that Alonso already has a plan for Mastantuono’s development although his favoured 3-4-3 system might not be a great fit for the Argentine wonderkid.
River Plate insist Mastantuono will remain at the club for the rest of the 2025 season, but the lure of Real Madrid could prove too strong for that to be the case. This is, after all, a club that paid £10m to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold 30 days early. A strong showing by Mastantuono at the Club World Cup could hasten his arrival in Spain.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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The United States is seemingly more divided than ever. Attack helicopters fly over LA after the marines were sent in to suppress protestors who march against ICE and their ongoing arrests up and down the country. It feels trivial, but Mauricio Pochettino, an Argentine, will lead the USMNT at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Concentrating on the football, or soccer, whichever you prefer, Pochettino’s side are in abysmal form heading into this tournament. Four consecutive defeats against Panama, Canada, Türkiye, and most recently, Switzerland mean they are struggling going into a tournament in which they should be considered heavy favourites.
At club level, Pochettino was known to be very hands on, pushing his players to reach the fitness levels required to play in his system, essentially, he loves a bleep test. International management, inherently, doesn’t allow Pochettino to have the required amount of time he needs with his players.
His Gold Cup squad reflects a manager who is struggling to implement his philosophy. Several players have either dropped out after the most hectic season in recent memory or will be playing at the new-look FIFA Club World Cup instead – also taking place in the United States at exactly the same time.
As a result, the former Chelsea and Tottenham boss has leant heavily on domestic based players this summer. A massive 15 of his Gold Cup squad play in MLS, with the remaining seven based abroad.
With an average age of 25 years and 119 days, it’s the third youngest ‘roster’ in USMNT Gold Cup history. It also averages just 16 caps, with 21 players making their major tournament debuts, showing just how inexperienced this group of lads are at the top level.
Vancouver Whitecaps striker Brian White (10 goals) and highly regarded Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna (eight goals) are among the top scorers in MLS as the league season reaches its midway point.
Philadelphia Union midfielder Quinn Sullivan, brother of future Man City star Cavan, has the second-most assists (seven) in the league as he heads into his first major international tournament at senior level.
Orlando City right back Alex Freeman, who is enjoying a real breakout season at the club with four goals and two assists in his 19 games across all competitions, made his international debut in the 4-0 defeat to Switzerland, their final warm up game.
Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter did the same. Fresh off the back of his side’s massive 5-0 CONCACAF Champions Cup final defeat to Cruz Azul, his mood wouldn’t have improved after the Switzerland game that’s for certain.
The USMNT is having somewhat of an existential crisis between the sticks at the moment. Shaka Hislop described their current crop of ‘keepers as the worst in their history. While a tad harsh, looking back at the likes of Brad Friedel, Tim Howard, and Kasey Keller, he might have a point.
Matt Turner, who spent last season on loan at Crystal Palace from Nottingham Forest, is their current number one, but New York City FC goalkeeper Matt Freese was given the nod in the 2-1 defeat to Türkiye on June 7.
Matt Turner player traits, with comparison against other keepers in top five European leagues
Turner returned and then conceded those four goals to Switzerland, which doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. We’ll let him off for the first two goals, although he could have done better for the first, but Switzerland’s third goal was inexcusable for the 30-year-old.
Ricardo Rodriguez’s tame effort was parried by Turner directly into the path of Breel Embolo, who simply couldn’t miss the open goal he was left with. He was visibly annoyed with himself, taking a sip from his bottle and covering his face with a towel.
Poch has options. Chris Brady, the current Chicago Fire goalkeeper, is probably the heir to the throne, if his last five games at club level are anything to go by. He’s just 21 but has 82 first team games for the Fire under his belt. He also has a goatee, which somehow feels right for an American goalkeeper.
The defeat to Switzerland was pretty indicative of where Pochettino’s side are at the moment. Struggling to string more than three passes together at times, they played like strangers, because, essentially, that’s what they are.
The USMNT are currently ranked 16th in the World by FIFA
Their Gold Campaign kicks off against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday (June 15). There are 84 places between these two nations in the FIFA rankings but the islanders got the better of their American overlords the last time they met.
Gregg Berhalter was at the helm back then and his time as the USMNT boss wasn’t exactly lauded by the fans. Still, his side back then was more heavily stacked than the one Poch will be using on Sunday.
Robinson, Balogun, Dest, Reyna, Carter-Vickers, and Ricardo Pepi all featured in the game in 2023 but were powerless to stop Trinidad and Tobago from beating them 2-1 in the CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final, although they would go on to win the tie 4-2 on aggregate.
Ultimately, the Gold Cup should be viewed as a massive opportunity by those who want to nail down a place in next year’s World Cup squad. Poch has proven he’s not against giving lesser-known players a chance to impress, they just need to take it and run with it.
The ongoing political climate in the US is considered toxic by many around the world looking in, and thousands of people will be traveling to a country that is becoming more and more unwelcoming by the day. Football is an escape, but it shouldn’t avoid what is happening.
In troubling times, this crop of young players can stand up, provide the fans with something to celebrate, and show the world that the ideal in which many still hold the USA isn’t dead.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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