How football united the world in the US

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Well, my 2025 FIFA Club World Cup experience is over. And I must admit that this expanded 32-team format has had memorable moments over the last month.

I cannot find the words to describe my American experience. We just didn’t watch an exciting tournament, we felt it wash over us and invade every cell of our bodies.

One of my best experiences here has been meeting people from all walks of life, brought together by the love of football.

I didn’t understand Spanish, but because of the strong Latino community here, and with the help from a couple of Latino friends, I have fallen in love with the language.

Miami, New York and New Jersey already feel like my second, third and fourth homes. And the storylines of each city will stick in memory.

Standout moments

Now that the curtains have finally come down, is there a need to debate whether the expanded club format was a good idea?

I suppose not. The overall consensus here, from the experts to the fans, is that the Club World Cup has been a spectacle.

No tournament in recent memory has had so much life, so much drama, so much football, and so many of those moments you want to share with everyone you know, like the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

Below are some of my standout moments, areas where the tournament scored highly.

New stars were born

International tournaments almost always provide platforms upon which lesser-known stars establish themselves as household names, and the Club World Cup was not different.

Whether it was emerging stars or experienced players just waiting for the right moment, the Club World Cup has produced stars who will look back to this tournament as the breakthrough for their careers.

Gonzalo Garcia was the breakout star for Real Madrid. 

The 21-year-old stepped up in the absence of Kylian Mbappe (who sat out the first three games of the tournament with acute gastroenteritis), and delivered with crucial goals and assists.

Fluminense’s Jhon Arias, Monterrey’s Nelson Deossa, Palmeiras’ and Richard Rios will never be the same.

Classic match

Great players make great games and this is what the FIFA Club World Cup has been about.

The PSG-Real Madrid semi-final was a thriller. PSG scored three goals in the first 24 minutes and literally suffocated any life left in Real. It became an exhibition thereafter. 

Best goal

It has to be Michael Olise’s goal for Bayern Munich against Auckland City. His silky movement and goal set the tone for the rest of the tournament.

But any list without a Lionel Messi special would be incomplete. With 54 minutes on the clock, Messi curved spectacularly home the match-winner from 30 yards to earn Inter Miami a 2-1 win against Porto.

Shock value

Every major tournament needs elements of shock to get the tournament going and underdogs that warn the big teams they are not going to have it all their own way.

Botafogo upset PSG 1-0 in a group stage match, Al Hilal held Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw in their opening game, and Bayern Munich defeated Auckland City 10-0.

But Auckland City had the biggest shocker. The New Zealand club arrived at the tournament with a squad comprising teachers, delivery drivers and businessmen.

Auckland as expected collapsed to humiliating defeats (10-0 against Bayern and 6-0 against Benfica). But these very amateurs, then held Argentinean champions Boca Juniors to a 1-1 draw.

In fact, Christian Gray, who scored against Boca Juniors for their historic 1-1 draw in their ultimate Group C match, is a school teacher. Gray teaches Grammar and Physical Education.

Iconic images

These are images that will linger in memory, be used time and again in future to show this Club World Cup in all its glory. These were created by mainly fan experiences.

In Miami, Boca Juniors fans took over Miami Beach, transforming it into a vibrant celebration ahead of their matches. Thousands of supporters, clad in blue and yellow, often gathered on the beach ahead of their matches, creating a lively atmosphere with chants, flags, and drums.