The FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ begins next weekend, with 32 of the finest clubs from planet football colliding for what is sure to be a football bonanza for the ages. Ahead of kick-off, take a look back through a selection of the best matches to have taken place this season between those competing at the tournament.
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Al Ain FC 4-5 Al Hilal
Asian Champions League | 21 October 2024
When Al Ain lifted the Asian Champions League in 2024, they upset the odds to sink Al Hilal 5-4 on aggregate in the semi-finals. The pair met again five months later in this season’s group phase, but needed just one match to produce a nine-goal feast.
Renan Lodi arrowed the visitors in front midway through the first half, and while Soufiane Rahimi equalised for Al Ain, further goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Salem Al-Dawsari gave the Blue Wave a commanding half-time lead.
A crazy five-minute spell just after the hour saw Mateo Sanabria and Al-Dawarsi trade goals, before Rahimi rifled in his second to bring the score within one. Al Hilal’s captain then completed his treble with a stunning strike from the edge of the area with 15 minutes to go. While Ali Albulayhi was sent off and Rahimi joined the hat-trick club himself late on, Al Hilal claimed revenge over their United Arab Emirates counterparts by the slimmest of margins.
The pair could meet again in the last 16.
Real Madrid C. F. 5-2 Borussia Dortmund
UEFA Champions League | 22 October 2024
The word ‘remontada’, which translates to ‘the comeback’ in English, has become synonymous with Real Madrid, especially in Europe. This 2024 Champions League final rematch proved no different.
Donyell Malen fired Dortmund ahead 30 minutes in, before Jamie Gittens doubled the advantage just three minutes later. Real, as they so often do, fought back through an Antonio Rudiger header on the hour mark, with Vinicius Jr following up to level matters two minutes later. It fell to Lucas Vazquez to complete the Real comeback as he lashed home from close range. Vinicius made the game safe late on, finishing off two stunning solo runs to secure the match ball.
The pair could meet again in the quarter-finals.
FC Internazionale Milano 4-4 Juventus FC
Serie A | 27 October 2024
The 75,000 plus fans who packed into San Siro to watch this Derby d’Italia were treated and then some, as eight evenly-shared goals produced one of the greatest encounters between Italy’s two most successful sides.
Piotr Zielinski got the ball rolling via the penalty spot, but Juventus responded in kind as Dusan Vlahovic and Timothy Weah both netted in a frenzied 11-minute spell. Henrikh Mkhitaryan quickly levelled before Zielinski gave Inter the lead once more from the spot in the 37th minute.
The Nerrazzuri extended their lead shortly after the break as Denzel Dumfries squirmed an effort home from a corner. Thiago Motta reacted by bringing on Kenan Yildiz just after the hour and the talented Turk repaid his faith, netting twice from the left of the area to ensure this ding-dong battle ended all-square.
The pair could meet again in the quarter-finals.
Paris Saint-Germain 4-2 Manchester City
UEFA Champions League | 22 January 2025
With both sides scrambling to reach the UEFA Champions League play-off round, this clash promised fireworks at the Parc des Princes.
A rough and tumble first half didn’t bring the opener but City came out firing in the second and raced into a two-goal lead inside through Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland. Just as quickly, though, PSG hit back, with Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola restoring parity. They completed the comeback with 12 minutes to go as Joao Neves netted a diving header from a Vitinha free-kick, before Goncalo Ramos amplified the scoreline in stoppage time.
The pair could meet again in the semi-finals.
CF Monterrey 2-3 CF Pachuca
Liga MX | 26 January 2025
Prior to this clash, Pachuca had won just twice in the league away to Monterrey since 2010, while also losing the previous four to their northern counterparts. The Tuzos entered this bout with a point to prove, and did so emphatically.
After dominating the first 25 minutes, Monterrey took the lead when Sergio Canales swept home from the penalty spot. Pachuca fired back in kind, though, as Oussama Idrissi silenced the Steel Giant with a well-struck shot from distance.
The visitors then took the lead just after the hour through a Salomon Rondon penalty. Monterrey would smash the bar just minutes later before falling further behind as John Kennedy pounced on a mix-up in the home defence to slot home. German Berterame crashed in a terrific header to give Monterrey hope but they found Tuzos goalkeeper Carlos Moreno in inspired form as Guillermo Almada’s side emerged as narrow victors.
The pair could meet again in the quarter-finals.
Inter Miami CF 3-1 LAFC
Concacaf Champions Cup | 10 April 2025
Inter Miami welcomed LAFC to Chase Stadium looking to overturn a one-goal deficit from the first leg of this Concacaf Champions Cup quarter-final, as Lionel Messi and Hugo Lloris came head-to-head in a reunion of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ showpiece.
The Black and Gold took the lead on the night inside just nine minutes, as Aaron Long volleyed in a crucial away goal. Miami now needed to score three times to advance but had the mercurial Argentinian to call upon, who netted ten minutes before half-time with a fine solo goal.
A different Argentinian added a second just past the hour as Federico Redondo’s glanced header squirmed beyond Lloris. Then just six minutes from time, Messi swept a penalty beyond the Frenchman to secure the Herons’ place in the last four.
The pair could meet again in the quarter-finals.
CA River Plate 2-1 CA Boca Juniors
Primera Division | 28 April 2025
Superclásicos of years gone by have been illuminated by icons such as Angel Labruna, Diego Maradona and Carlos Tevez. The rivalry’s latest instalment undoubtedly belonged to one legend-in-the-making.
The game was set alight midway through the first half when 17-year-old wonderkid Franco Mastantuono netted an unstoppable 30-yard free-kick to become the youngest player ever to score in the historic rivalry. Miguel Merentiel capitalised on an error in the River defence to silence the fervent home crowd, but they were sent wild again just six minutes later when Sebastian Driussi poked home on the stroke of half-time.
River wasted chances to pull further clear and were indebted to their FIFA World Cup-winning goalkeeper to preserve the lead, as Franco Armani made two terrific saves late on to clinch their 89th Superclásico victory.
The pair could meet again in the quarter-finals.
Paris Saint-Germain 5-0 FC Internazionale Milano
UEFA Champions League | 31 May 2025
Many onlookers couldn’t separate Paris Saint-Germain and Inter going into this year’s Champions League final. By full-time, few could argue who the worthy winners were.
Achraf Hakimi started the scoring by tapping home a Desire Doue cross in the 12th minute. Shortly after it was Doue’s turn to bulge the net, as the 19-year-old’s deflected effort deceived Yann Sommer in the Inter goal.
Doue added a third just beyond the hour when put through by Vitinha, becoming the youngest player to hit a Champions League final brace in the process. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia added a fourth before substitute Senny Mayulu completed the rout in added time to secure PSG their first Champions League title with the biggest margin of victory ever witnessed in the decider.
The pair could meet again in the semi-finals.
