With the inaugural edition of the new FIFA Club World Cup just over a month away, the excitement and the anticipation of the tournament is slowly and steadily gathering momentum. With 32 clubs battling for supremacy, only one club will be crowned World Champions.
While every club participating in the tournament will fancy themselves capable of winning the tournament, there are a few competitors that stand out from the rest as genuine contenders to go the distance.
In this article, we will go through one of the contenders who will be expected to win the FIFA Club World Cup come the 13th of July.
The Contender- Real Madrid
Any competition that has Real Madrid participating, they are bound to be in the conversations to be as one of the favourites going in. And with the pedigree of being 15-time Champions League winners, who can say otherwise? They also happen to be 5-time winners of the previous format of the Club World Cup. They have the gravitas, the trophy-winning knack, as well as the global appeal of being one of the footballing behemoths.
Path to Qualification.
According to the rules, the teams who are eligible to qualify for the Club World Cup have to either be a winner of the Premier competition of their particular confederation, or be among the highest-ranked teams of their respective Confederation from the 2020-21 to the 2023-24 season.
The Los Blancos qualified for the tournament by fulfilling the first of the two conditions. By winning the Premier competition of their Confederation (UEFA Champions League) twice in the above-mentioned time span.
Strengths
Any team that boasts a forward line of Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe, and Rodrygo will instantly incite fear and trepidation to defenses across the world. Add to that the galaxy of stars like Jude Bellingham, Luka Modric, Federico Valverde, et al, there is an abundance of quality, big-match experience, and flair in equal measure.
The emergence of Raul Ascensio in defense has added a layer of solidity to the backline, while the likes of Dani Ceballos add a useful layer of depth.
The impending arrival of English full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold on a free transfer will only add to the strength of the first 11.
Weaknesses
For all the quality that the side possesses, however, they have had a right season for their lofty standards. They were eliminated from the Champions League in a campaign that never went past the second gear. They currently find themselves playing catch-up domestically to their fierce rivals Barcelona, having already lost the Copa del Rey and trailing them in the race for the La Liga.
Key players like Bellingham, Vinicius Jr, and Rodrygo have had underwhelming returns this season, having regressed from the highs of the previous seasons. Despite the goals, Mbappe seems to still be coming to terms with the culture shock and the massive expectations levied on him.
To compound matters, current coach Carlo Ancelotti is set to leave the club after reaching a verbal agreement for the same. So while the club has upped the intensity in their search for a new manager, there is a realistic chance that they enter the competition without a permanent head coach.
Who do they face?
Real Madrid open their Club World Cup campaign against Saudi powerhouse Al-Hilal on June 19th at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. They then travel to Charlotte to face Mexican side Pachuca, and will conclude their group stage against fellow-European side RB Salzburg at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Chances of winning the Club World Cup
While there are problems in the side that do need quick and instant solutions, it will be a fool’s errand to count Real Madrid out of a tournament as big as this one. They have enough quality to blow teams away and always seem to have an extra gear when it comes to big games and big tournaments. So all things considered, we give Real Madrid a 7/10 chance of winning the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup.
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