While every participating team will fancy themselves capable of winning the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup, there are a few who stand out from the rest as genuine contenders to go the distance.
Here, we look at another outfit and their chances for the title.
Regardless of the competition, if Real Madrid are participating, they are bound to be one of the contenders for the trophy. And with the pedigree of being 15-time UEFA Champions League/European Cup winners, who can say otherwise?
Los Blancos are also five-time winners of the previous Club World Cup, which has since been rebranded as the FIFA Intercontinental Cup — the inaugural edition of which they won last year.
They have the gravitas, the trophy-winning knack, and the global appeal of a footballing behemoth.
Teams have qualified for the 2025 Club World Cup either by winning the premier competition of their confederation or by being one of the highest-ranked sides in their confederation’s standings during the 2020/21 to 2023/24 seasons.
Real Madrid qualified by fulfilling the first of these criteria — winning the UEFA Champions League twice in this period (2021/22 and 2023/24).
Any team with a forward line of Vinícius Júnior, Kylian Mbappé, and Rodrygo will incite fear and trepidation in any defence. Add to this trio star midfielders like Jude Bellingham, Luka Modric, and Federico Valverde, and one will find an abundance of quality, big-match experience, and flair in equal measure.
The emergence of Raúl Asencio in defence has added a layer of solidity to the backline, while Dani Ceballos adds a useful layer of depth in the middle.
The imminent arrival of English fullback Trent Alexander-Arnold will strengthen the squad further.
For all their quality, Real Madrid haven’t had a decent season by their lofty standards. They were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League in the quarter-finals, ending a campaign that never went past second gear. Domestically, they’re playing catch-up to fierce rivals Barcelona in LaLiga, having already lost to them in the Copa del Rey final.
Key players like Bellingham, Vinícius, and Rodrygo have had underwhelming returns after the highs of recent campaigns. Despite his goals, Mbappé seems to still be coming to terms with the culture at the Santiago Bernabéu and the massive expectations levied on him.
To further compound their problems, current boss Carlo Ancelotti is set to leave the club. While Real Madrid have upped the intensity in their search for Ancelotti’s successor, there is a realistic chance that they enter the CWC without a permanent head coach.
Real Madrid open their Club World Cup campaign against Saudi Pro League heavyweights Al-Hilal on June 18 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. They then travel to Charlotte, North Carolina, to face Mexican side Pachuca, before concluding their group stage against fellow European outfit RB Salzburg at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
While there are problems in the side that do need quick fixes, it would be foolish to count Real Madrid out of any tournament, let alone one 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 in big tournaments.
All things considered, we give Real Madrid a 7/10 chance of winning the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup.
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