It's Club World Cup time. Forget everything else. Forget the politics, the headlines, the outside noise. Remove the complex context, the concerns, the dissenting voices.
And what remains is intrigue.
There is, admittedly, a sporting need for something like this to happen in the U.S. this summer, one year out from the 2026 World Cup. The best teams in Europe and South America should play each other. Why not throw in Asia, Africa and North America while you're at it? Oceania, just to round it off? Why not.
And so we have 32 teams, playing each other across the country over the next month. There will be some memorable moments, but also a few awkward ones. No one knows what to make of this thing yet, and it might need some time to gather momemtum. But once the games get real, this could be a spectacle.
It's also now a forum for sporting excellence. Clubs have geared up. Manchester City and Real Madrid have already hit the transfer market. South American sides are up for it. MLS, with Inter Miami, Seattle Sounders and LAFC all representing, wants to put on a good show.
Within those 32 teams, there are a group of high-octane players who are out to prove a point or make a statement, for various reasons, including the likes of Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham, Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson, Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, Palmeiras’ Estevao Willian and PSG’s Ousmane Dembele.
So who wins it? Who takes home the Golden Boot, and who will be well worth the watch?
GOAL US writers break down the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup in the latest edition of... The Rondo.
