Bayern Lights Up Club World Cup, Infantino's Vision Fumbles
Bayern Munich is thriving, while Infantino's Club World Cup is struggling.
Kick off at the Club World Cup? More like a snoozefest. Empty seats, scoreless draws, and a 10-0 Bayern battering of a team made up of amateurs - this is supposed to be the "golden summer"?.
German champ Bayern's man of the match, Thomas Müller, was a local celebrity after netting two goals against Auckland City FC. His post-match selfies with the opposing team, comprising of students and real estate agents, were the highlight of their careers. But football fans were left underwhelmed, questioning whether the tournament lived up to the hype.
The Muller Marvel Show
The victory may not have been sports-worthy, but the tournament was an "interesting event" for the club, according to Bayern's sports director Max Eberl. He compared the match to a DFB Pokal opener – an apt comparison, considering the Club World Cup's organizer, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, formed this four-week, 32-team event as his prestige project.
Infantino has been boasting about the tournament, calling it a "big bang" and the "most desirable" in club football. But their grand entrance fell flat, with significant trouble filling the Miami stadium for the opening game, despite the presence of Lionel Messi. Worse still, the match ended goalless, followed by another draw in the next game.
PSG vs Atletico: The Best of a Withering Tournament
The match between Paris St. Germain and Atletico Madrid provided the most enjoyable entertainment, offering some respite from the disappointing opening games. The five-time Champions League winners PSG continued their winning form with 80,619 fans cheering them on, with a history-making victory against Atletico.
Celebrity-studded teams like Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Borussia Dortmund are set to join the fray in the upcoming days, but the question lingers - does the inflated, revamped Club World Cup hold its place in the football galaxy?
Hollow Glow
As Dortmund prepares to face Mamelodi Sundowns in Cincinnati, it's yet to be seen if they'll fill the stadium. With the club World Cup facing criticisms ranging from its demanding schedule and contentious team selection to questions about its financial motivations and limited fan engagement, it remains to be seen whether it can live up to the "golden summer" Infantino promised.
The Club World Cup's issues extend beyond the tournament. As it vies for attention in a competitive sports landscape, it's challenged by major events like NBA and NHL championship series and the MLB season, leaving it unclear whether it truly features "the best players from the best clubs". With player unions, fans, and even former FIFA presidents voicing dissatisfaction, the Club World Cup struggles to shake off the Super League stigma, putting its future in question.
[1] "FIFA’s Club World Cup: Too much, too soon and too little for players – expert analysis" - The Guardian, by David Miles, https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/11/fifas-club-world-cup-too-much-too-soon-and-too-little-for-players-expert-analysis
[2] "Controversy and dissatisfaction shrouds FIFA's Club World Cup" - ESPN, by Rob Dawson, https://www.espn.com/football/editorials/story/4514944/controversy-and-dissatisfaction-shrouds-fifas-club-world-cup
[3] "Club World Cup: FIFA's Qatar legacy in the spotlight" - Al Jazeera, by Martin small, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/12/14/club-world-cup-fifa-s-qatar-legacy-in-the-spotlight
[4] "FIFA's plan for a more meaningful Club World Cup faces challenges" - Inside World Football, by James Maiden, https://www.insideworldfootball.com/news/54074-fifas-plan-for-more-meaningful-club-world-cup-faces-challenges#:~:text=FIFA%27s%20dream%20of%20an,its%20challenges%20are%20maturing%20on%20the%20pitch%20too.
In the midst of the Club World Cup's contentious schedule and criticisms, the European institutions, including the Commission, the Council, and the European Parliament, have raised concerns about the financial motivations and limited fan engagement of the tournament. (European Parliament, Council, Commission, financial motivations, fan engagement)
Given the ongoing Super League stigma and the competition with major sports events like NBA and NHL championship series and the MLB season, it is uncertain whether the Club World Cup, despite the presence of teams like Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Manchester City, can ultimately claim to feature "the best players from the best clubs" in sports. (Super League stigma, NBA, NHL championship series, MLB season, best players, best clubs)
