The new Revamped Club World Cup is due to the last eight teams, and the trophy is now very much for grabbing for the team that can navigate the next three games in the hope of becoming a champion.
Fluminense US Al Hilal will start a procedure on Friday, in a match that few could have predicted that they took place in view of their opponents in the final round, respectively Inter Milan and Man City.
Some super quarter finals in prospect
Pep Guardiola is of course not even, but it is certainly open that half of the draw.
Palmeiras vs Chelsea follows, with Paris Saint-Germain vs Bayern Munich (a repetition of the 2020 Champions League final) and Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund (a repeat of the UCL-final of 2024) to close the round.
Because the South American parties are doing very well so far, it is certainly not a foregone conclusion that the trophy will also go to its usual destination, Europe.
So far we have seen a number of ridiculously one-sided score lines, including the 10-0 victory of Bayern over Auckland City and the 6-0 demolition of Al Ain van Man City.
Not to mention the entertainment value of a 4-4 draw between Porto and Al Ahly or Al Hilal's era that defines 4-3 victory over Man City.
Vinicius JR has been disappointing
Goals clearly win games, but which strikers are showing up at the tournament and have helped to shoot their teams in the last phases … and those who have badly disappointed their teams if it mattered?
Vinicius Junior was perhaps expected to be a radiant light at the tournament, but the Brazilian has looked there for a long time and from the pace from the pace.
A return of only one goal and one assist in four games played is hardly the kind of return to make Los Blancos fans enthusiastic, so thank goodness for Gonzalo Garcia.
The winner of the 21-year-old against Juventus in the round of 16 was his third in four games, and the Castilla sensation will have given Xabi Alonso some thinking while looking ahead to the new season.
“I knew that this competition was the chance of my life,” Garcia noted after the game, and he is already winning Leather from Real Madrid, Raul, who coached him during the 2024/25 season, as well as others.
His 25 goals for Castilla (Real's Reserve Team) in the third level of Spain is a record of all time, and the Spanish U17 coach, Hernan Perez, believes that Garcia could be the new striker of Los Blancos in the following decade.
Whether that is the case or not, talk about using your chance with both hands!
Mbappe finally returns
Kylian Mbappe came into battle against Juve after a period of time in the hospital with a virus, and with three games possible to play in the tournament, which means that the Frenchman will not have his name in the light in due course?
Harry Kane still has an established interest in the Golden Boot and both he and Michael Olise join Garcia at three goals in their four games.
The captain of England, who scores goals for fun, still has to wonder how the hell he did not get on the score sheet against Auckland City.
Another player who has won a threesome goals, but who was ultimately counted for nothing, is the Erling Haaland of Man City.
Injured for long periods of last season, it is doubtful that the Norwegian is still a way of his best form, and yet he has still succeeded in diving up at the right place at the right time at the CWC – something he does in the English top flight with Aplomb.
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Although he will not add his count thanks to the elimination of Benfica by Chelsea, the 37-year-old Angel Di Maria can cherish himself in the glory to be alone with four goals in four games before the quarterfinals start.
An injury time for the blues was nothing more than a late consolation, but what is quite unique about the contributions of the Argentinian is that all four goals were all scored from the place … and all came during injury time at the end of one of the two half.
Messi Magic the Pick of Scored Goals
Another Argentinian, Lautaro Martinez, did not do so well before his internazional team was eliminated by Fluminense. Two goals scored are not the worst return, but if Captain and Leader on his part, more would be expected, NO demanded Nerazzurri believers.
Although crowds have also been scarce on some games and it could be said that the tournament did not really caught the imagination of the public in the way FIFA hoped, there are still a few epic moments to celebrate.
Perhaps the free kick from Lionel Messi is to beat Porto – his only goal in the CWC – one that will live in the memory for a long time, and with a whole series of matches that still have to be played, more memories will be made.