Diego Simeone is one of the most famous faces in the history of Atlético de Madrid. The player-turned-manager has recently steered Los Colchoneros through some impressive UEFA Champions League campaigns, but now he turns his attention to the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™.
Watch every game live and for free on DAZN
Drawn into a tricky Group B alongside Paris Saint-Germain, Seattle Sounders and Botafogo in this new tournament, the Argentinian knows there will be no room for error. His objective is clear: make it through the group stage and then treat every match like a final.
With the tournament edging closer, Simeone spoke to FIFA about the challenges ahead, his hopes for Atleti and the enduring influence of a legend of the game, Diego Maradona.
Diego Simeone: We all have a strong sense of what it means to represent Spain and Atlético at the Club World Cup, and we’ll give it our all. It will be a lot like the [FIFA] World Cup, but with club teams. The South American and European styles of football are so different, which will make it exciting and entertaining, especially for fans who aren’t used to seeing these clubs play. Hopefully, it’ll be an experience that everyone can enjoy.
Fans in the United States who can’t go watch their teams play in their local stadiums will now have the chance to see them live. We look forward to representing Atlético on this stage and will do everything we can to show just how strong this club is, since the Club World Cup is a special event that only a select few teams get to be part of. Hopefully, we can put in a stellar performance so that our fans who can’t travel to Europe to see Atleti in person can enjoy watching their team live.
We all know how tough the group stages can be, and we’re up against three big sides. We have high hopes of reaching the last 16. After that, we’ll see how things unfold. This tournament will be quite different from the UEFA Champions League, where you play over two legs. Here, it’s just one game. It’s more like the World Cup, where the team in the best form on the day wins. Based on my own experience, I think the outcome depends largely on how the sides are performing at the time. If you hit your stride at the right time, chances are you’ll get where you want to be.
With the same passion, energy and ability to adapt as the game evolves. Of course, some players who started out here have moved on, but the club has always found a way to keep building. Plus, I’ve always been really lucky to have footballers who reflect our values on the pitch. That’s brought the club a sense of stability, which has enabled it to grow and expand its global presence.
I hope we can play against them! I want us to go as far as possible in the FIFA Club World Cup and take Atlético de Madrid to the heights we all aspire to, whether it’s against the teams I’ve faced as a coach or player, or whoever the draw throws up.
What more can I add about Maradona and Messi that hasn’t already been said? They are two extraordinary footballers, easily the best in the world and unquestionably world-class performers. I was lucky enough to play with Maradona at Sevilla and with the national team at the World Cup, and I genuinely felt very fortunate to have shared that time with him.
I never had the chance to work with Messi, either as a coach or as a player, of course. However, everything he’s achieved, the way he’s grown, the spell he’s had with the national team lately – it sets him apart. We’re lucky that both of them are Argentinian.
