Flat Notes at the World Cup for Clubs: Bayern Shines, Infantino's Football Week Dulls
Bayern Munich is thriving, while Infantino's Club World Cup is feeling the strain.
Let's talk about the Club World Cup happening in the States, shall we? The debut has been underwhelming. Crowds are scant, matches are dull, and Bayern Munich shines brighter than a pop star's concert. That's not what we meant by the "golden summer," now, is it?
Thomas Müller, Bayern's veteran player, was a popular guy on Sunday in Cincinnati. He scored two goals in his last Bayern match, as they defeated Auckland City FC 10-0, a team filled with teachers, students, and real estate agents. Later, he took selfies with his new friends, leaving them starstruck. Müller admitted he couldn't fulfill all the jersey requests because there just weren't enough to go around.
Sloppy Start and Sleepy Games
Sports-wise, the win wasn't much to brag about, according to Müller. But hey, it's all part of the Club World Cup experience for Bayern. Max Eberl, the club's sports director, likened the game to a first-round match in the DFB Pokal against a lower-league team. A fitting comparison, yet revealing of the tournament's quality.
Spearheaded by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, this Club World Cup is his dream event. For weeks, US television has been hyping it up as the ultimate sports spectacle. Infantino even spoke about it to the football-clueless former president, Donald Trump, claiming it would draw in "millions of fans." He wants it to be the biggest bang in club football, but so far, it's been more like a soft pop.
The opening match in Miami struggled to fill up the stadium, despite the presence of Lionel Messi and his team, Inter Miami. Although 60,927 fans eventually showed up, there were clearly empty seats. And let's call it like it is - goalless draws are a bore for American sports fans, and they've had two already in this Cup.
A World Cup Among a Pool of Sports
Following those snooze-fests were Bayern's 10-0 demolition of Auckland and an entertaining match between Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid. In the coming days, other heavyweights like Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Boca Juniors, and River Plate will take to the field. Borussia Dortmund battles it out against Fluminense on Tuesday. We'll see where this reworked, swollen Club World Cup stands in the football universe, won't we?
Analysts, like those at "The Athletic" and the "Sports Business Journal," are questioning FIFA's decisions. Sticking nearly 32 teams into a four-week tournament is a gamble. What's worse, Bayern found it hard to fill a small stadium, which makes one wonder about the attendance for more extensive stadiums.
Other Distractions Among the Sports Scene
It's not like this Club World Cup is the only game in town, either. The Gold Cup started on the weekend, the continental championship for North and Central America and the Caribbean. The NBA and the NHL leagues are going for their championships this week, too. Major League Baseball is ongoing, so there's no summer sports vacuum that needs filling - not for soccer fans or generally sports-interested folks.
And hey, just because it's the best players from the best clubs, as Infantino promotes, doesn't mean we need 32 teams, does it? Quality over quantity, you know? Perhaps teams like Auckland City will soon be replaced by other heavyweights, like Liverpool, Barcelona, and Napoli - the current champions of England, Spain, and Italy.
The European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission might question FIFA's decision to host the Club World Cup amidst the ongoing European-leagues, such as the Premier League, which features is engaging sports like football, soccer's traditional name in Europe. Thomas Müller, a popular Bayern Munich player, could make a persuasive case, as he experienced a more lackluster performance in the Club World Cup compared to the competitive European-leagues.
