It’s been nearly two decades since Boca Juniors last lifted the Copa Libertadores, and their return to the Club World Cup comes at a turbulent time. Fresh off a disappointing domestic season and with veteran coach Miguel Ángel Russo back at the helm, los Xeneizes face a daunting group that includes Benfica and Bayern Munich.
1) Who will Boca Juniors face at the Club World Cup?
Boca Juniors have been drawn into Group C and these are their group stage fixtures:
15 June: vs Benfica. Hard Rock Stadium, Miami.
20 June: vs Bayern Munich. Hard Rock Stadium, Miami.
24 June: vs Auckland City. Geodis Park, Nashville.
2) Argentine trophies
Boca Juniors boast 35 Argentine Primera División titles, first crowned champions back in 1919. This is the second-most of any club, three behind fierce rivals River Plate, against whom they contest the Superclásico, widely-considered to be one of the biggest derbies in world football.
3) Copa Libertadores triumphs and heartbreaks
On top of this, la Azul y Or have featured in 12 Copa Libertadores Finals, which is a tournament record, crowned South American champions on six occasions, one behind the competition's most successful club, fellow-Argentine outfit Independiente.
Between 2000 and 2007, Boca captured the Copa Libertadores on four occasions, winning a pair of Copa Sudamericana titles during this period too, but it is now 18 years, and counting, since their most-recent success on the continent.
Since last getting their hands on CONMEBOL's most prestigious prize, they have been beaten in three finals, defeated by Corinthians in 2012, their most-hated rivals River Plate at the Bernabéu in 2018 and, most-recently, by Fluminense after extra time at the Maracanã in November 2023.
4) A disappointing 2025 so far
2025 has, so far, very much been a year to forget for the millions of los Xeneizes worldwide. First, back in February, they were on the wrong end of a major shock, dumped out in Copa Libertadores qualifying by Peruvian outfit Alianza Lima on penalties. This is the first time ever they've featured in the competition and not, at least, reached the group stages.
So, with just domestic action to focus on, los Azul y Oro finished a respectable second in Zone A of the Apertura, behind Argentinos Juniors on goal difference, albeit a Superclásico defeat at the Monumental in April did little to lift spirits. Neither did the fact that they then were dumped out in the quarter-finals of the final phase by Independiente, defeated 1-0 at la Bombonera.
5) Past Club World Cup expirence
This will be only Boca Juniors' second-ever appearance at a FIFA Club World Cup. Back in 2007, they beat Étoile du Sahel in the semi-finals in Tokyo, before a 4-2 final defeat to AC Milan in Yokohama.
They did though feature in the tournament's precursor the Intercontinental Cup four times, capturing the trophy on three occasions. Boca beat Borussia Mönchengladbach in 1978, Real Madrid in 2000 and AC Milan on penalties in 2003, having been defeated by Bayern Munich two years earlier. Nevertheless, this makes them the joint-most successful club in the history of the now defunct Intercontinental Cup, alongside Milan, Real Madrid, Peñarol, and Nacional.
6) Boca Juniors players to watch: Edinson Cavani
There are a few familiar faces in this Boca squad, but none more so than Edinson Cavani.
The former Napoli, PSG, Manchester United and Valencia striker has, to date, scored 398 club goals, as well as 58 for Uruguay, thereby second on la Celeste's all-time list. Now 38 years old, Cavani joined Boca Juniors two summers ago, netting 25 times for the club, albeit only two of those have come in 2025, on target during victories over Huracán as well as Defensa y Justicia.
7) Boca Juniors players to watch: Miguel Merentiel
While Cavani is not Boca's top-scorer this year, that is fellow-Uruguayan Miguel Merentiel, who has netted seven times in 2025 so far, thereby likely to be their main goal threat stateside too.
8) Boca Juniors players to watch: Marcos Rojo
Amongst the contingent of former Man United players now at la Bombonera is goalkeeper Sergio Romero and midfielder Ander Herrera, but we believe the most impactful of the trio will be Marcos Rojo. The 35 year old defender has started every game bar one since recovering from a tendon injury in February, set to continue at the heart of this team's defence.
9) Manager Miguel Ángel Russo: providing expirence
Given los Azul y Oro's miserable season outlined earlier, head coach Fernando Gago was sacked in April after only six months in charge. Afterwards, Mariano Herrón had been in interim charge, the fifth time in five years he's held this post.
Well, on 2 June, a permanent replacement was appointed, namely Miguel Ángel Russo. This will be the 69 year old's 26th job in management, a career that began all the way back in 1989, and his third stint with Boca, previously in charge of Xeneize in 2007 and 2020/21, winning the club's most-recent Copa Libertadores title, as well as the Argentine Primera División five years ago.
10) Will Boca Juniors get beyond the group stage?
Boca Juniors begin their Club World Cup escapade with back-to-back games in Miami, facing both Benfica and then Bayern Munich, before travelling 912 miles north to face Auckland City in Nashville.
With Bayern big favourites to top Group C, and the New Zealanders likely to be the tournament's whipping boys, that opener against Benfica is likely to decide who advances and who will prematurely be heading home.