DUBAI: The FIFA Club World Cup has rolled into Abu Dhabi this week, much to the delight of the UAE’s football fraternity.
The annual global gathering certainly divides opinion, with many lining up to criticize FIFA for cashing in on another competition in an already packed football calendar.
But for fans of those teams competing, as well as the supporters in the UAE — and in previous host nations Japan and Morocco — the Club World Cup is a fascinating opportunity to see how clubs from different continents fare against each other.
The concept is notable for its novelty and while the quality of the football on display may not match up to the UEFA Champions League and Copa Libertadores — widely considered to be the two leading continental competitions — it provides plenty of intrigue.
Take Auckland City, who open the tournament this evening against local representatives Al-Jazira. This will be a record ninth tournament for the perennial OFC Champions League winners, though a final date with Real Madrid seems unlikely. Still, they have previous when it comes to causing upsets. In 2009 the Kiwi minnows stunned UAE heavyweights Al-Ahli and their deepest run at the tournament came in 2014 when a shock victory over CAF Champions League winners ES Setif was followed by a narrow semi-final loss to Argentinian side San Lorenzo.
The Copa Libertadores winners triumphed 2-1 after extra time to deny Auckland a spot in the final against Real Madrid but it was a remarkable achievement for a semi-professional side. The likes of Gremio, Pachuca and Urawa Red Diamonds be warned: This is still a tournament that can throw up surprises. “The crowds give you a lift and make you hungry to compete,” said Auckland midfielder Dan Morgan, who was part of the squad that beat Al-Ahli in 2009. “You want to prove that you belong on this stage and I can’t wait to savour that feeling again.”
This year the Club World Cup returns to the UAE for the first time since 2010, when Inter Milan lifted the trophy — the only real high point of Rafa Benitez’s ill-fated tenure.
That tournament marked the first occasion an African side contested the final as TP Mazembe saw off Mexican side Pachuca and Brazilian giants Internacional before falling to the Nerazzurri.
Raja Casablanca repeated the trick in 2013 — though they qualified as domestic champions rather than CAF Champions League winners — when they became the first team to make it from the initial playoff round all the way to the final.
Their progress will give hope to this year’s hosts Al-Jazira, as well as rivals Wydad Casablanca — the recently crowned African champions.
Wydad and Al-Jazira’s involvement will ensure plenty of Arab interest in the 2017 edition, although the presence of Real Madrid’s galacticos already guarantees the eyes of millions of Los Blancos fans in the region.
Madrid will bring a strong squad to Abu Dhabi and the prospect of seeing Cristiano Ronaldo, Isco and Co. is a mouthwatering one for the local supporters. The goals may have dried up a little for the usually prolific Portuguese this season but Ronaldo has enjoyed playing at the Club World Cup. He is the competition’s leading scorer with five goals in six games and could collect a record-breaking fourth winner’s medal this year, having won the tournament in 2014 and 2016 with Madrid, and in 2009 with Manchester United.
Beyond Ronaldo, there is clear motivation for Zinedine Zidane’s side. Triumph in the UAE and they will pull level with Barcelona on three Club World Cup titles.
All eyes are of course on who gets to play Madrid, who enter the competition at the semi-final stage. Los Blancos are understandably the overwhelming favourites to lift the trophy in Abu Dhabi on Dec. 16, though history tells us to expect the unexpected at the FIFA Club World Cup.
The annual global gathering certainly divides opinion, with many lining up to criticize FIFA for cashing in on another competition in an already packed football calendar.
But for fans of those teams competing, as well as the supporters in the UAE — and in previous host nations Japan and Morocco — the Club World Cup is a fascinating opportunity to see how clubs from different continents fare against each other.
The concept is notable for its novelty and while the quality of the football on display may not match up to the UEFA Champions League and Copa Libertadores — widely considered to be the two leading continental competitions — it provides plenty of intrigue.
Take Auckland City, who open the tournament this evening against local representatives Al-Jazira. This will be a record ninth tournament for the perennial OFC Champions League winners, though a final date with Real Madrid seems unlikely. Still, they have previous when it comes to causing upsets. In 2009 the Kiwi minnows stunned UAE heavyweights Al-Ahli and their deepest run at the tournament came in 2014 when a shock victory over CAF Champions League winners ES Setif was followed by a narrow semi-final loss to Argentinian side San Lorenzo.
The Copa Libertadores winners triumphed 2-1 after extra time to deny Auckland a spot in the final against Real Madrid but it was a remarkable achievement for a semi-professional side. The likes of Gremio, Pachuca and Urawa Red Diamonds be warned: This is still a tournament that can throw up surprises. “The crowds give you a lift and make you hungry to compete,” said Auckland midfielder Dan Morgan, who was part of the squad that beat Al-Ahli in 2009. “You want to prove that you belong on this stage and I can’t wait to savour that feeling again.”
This year the Club World Cup returns to the UAE for the first time since 2010, when Inter Milan lifted the trophy — the only real high point of Rafa Benitez’s ill-fated tenure.
That tournament marked the first occasion an African side contested the final as TP Mazembe saw off Mexican side Pachuca and Brazilian giants Internacional before falling to the Nerazzurri.
Raja Casablanca repeated the trick in 2013 — though they qualified as domestic champions rather than CAF Champions League winners — when they became the first team to make it from the initial playoff round all the way to the final.
Their progress will give hope to this year’s hosts Al-Jazira, as well as rivals Wydad Casablanca — the recently crowned African champions.
Wydad and Al-Jazira’s involvement will ensure plenty of Arab interest in the 2017 edition, although the presence of Real Madrid’s galacticos already guarantees the eyes of millions of Los Blancos fans in the region.
Madrid will bring a strong squad to Abu Dhabi and the prospect of seeing Cristiano Ronaldo, Isco and Co. is a mouthwatering one for the local supporters. The goals may have dried up a little for the usually prolific Portuguese this season but Ronaldo has enjoyed playing at the Club World Cup. He is the competition’s leading scorer with five goals in six games and could collect a record-breaking fourth winner’s medal this year, having won the tournament in 2014 and 2016 with Madrid, and in 2009 with Manchester United.
Beyond Ronaldo, there is clear motivation for Zinedine Zidane’s side. Triumph in the UAE and they will pull level with Barcelona on three Club World Cup titles.
All eyes are of course on who gets to play Madrid, who enter the competition at the semi-final stage. Los Blancos are understandably the overwhelming favourites to lift the trophy in Abu Dhabi on Dec. 16, though history tells us to expect the unexpected at the FIFA Club World Cup.
