FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, had billed the Club World Cup as "THE BEST v THE BEST," as the "the 32 best club teams in the world," and the "pinnacle" of soccer. But on the second day of this novel tournament, in the second game, their pitch unraveled when the sixth best team met No. 5,074.
Bayern Munich smashed Auckland City, 10-0, and bemused viewers wondered: Huh? How?
Well, because Bayern Munich is the perennial champion of Germany, and Auckland City is an amateur team.
Yes, an amateur team.
On one side, there was Harry Kane and $465 million worth of talent. On the other, there was Conor Tracey, goalkeeper by night, supervisor at a veterinary supply warehouse by day.
On one side, there were World Cup winners. On the other, there were everyday New Zealanders who work everyday jobs, and had to take leave — some paid, some unpaid — to come play in a soccer tournament.
There was Dylan Manickum, a 32-year-old construction site engineer; and Michael Den Heijer, a program coordinator at a youth-focused non-profit. There were barbers and real estate agents, personal fitness coaches and students. There was Angus Kilkolly, a regional manager for a tool company; and Jordan Vale, a schoolteacher; and Haris Zeb, a delivery guy.
"This week, I’m waking up to load the car with parcels, knocking on doors, dogs are barking mad and chasing me down driveways," Zeb told FIFA.com last month. "And next month I’m playing Bayern Munich. It’s like I’m leading a double life!"
Collectively, their flights to the U.S. for this inaugural Club World Cup cost about twice as much as Auckland City's annual revenue.
Bayern's squad, on the other hand, per Transfermarkt, is worth more than $1 billion.
So of course the German giants turned Sunday's game into a stroll and a blowout. Of course Jamal Musiala (price tag: $161 million) scored a hat trick after entering as a substitute in the 61st minute.
This was, quite possibly, one of the biggest mismatches in men's club soccer history.
Why is amateur Auckland City in the Club World Cup?
Auckland City are actually veterans of the Club World Cup — the former seven-team version, pre-expansion — because they are, by far, the most powerful club affiliated with Oceania. Over the past two decades, they've won the region's Champions League 13 times.
But there are caveats. In New Zealand, where rugby is king, the few legitimate professional clubs compete in Australia's A-League. Those clubs — Wellington Phoenix and Auckland FC — are therefore ineligible for the Oceania Champions League.
And the Champions League was the natural route to this Club World Cup — which, to fulfill its pledge of "making football truly global," needed representation from every continent.
FIFA, of course, weighted that representation. It gave 12 spots to Europe, and six to South America, and four each to Asia, Africa and North/Central America. Oceania, though, got one guaranteed spot — and Auckland City easily claimed it.
Domestically, and when they fly to Champions League games throughout the South Pacific, the so-called Navy Blues are giants themselves. They control the ball and dominate games. Although they are amateurs or semi-pros, many of them were and are talented players who competed at colleges or elite youth clubs.
But they were no match for Bayern Munich.
Their unsurprising inferiority made for an uncomfortable watch, and an extremely awkward two hours for DAZN's commentators.
"I'm almost hoping it doesn't get to double figures," color commentator Steve McManaman said late in the second half.
Alas, it did — thanks to Thomas Muller, who capped the afternoon in Cincinnati with his 250th goal for Bayern.
Auckland City's other two games in Group C will be against Argentine giant Boca Juniors and Portugal's Benfica.
English (US) ·