Six years after their dramatic Copa Libertadores triumph over Boca Juniors in Madrid, River Plate return to the global stage with ambition and a point to prove. Back under the guidance of club legend Marcelo Gallardo, and with rising star Franco Mastantuono drawing attention, los Millonarios will hope to go further than ever before, but a challenging group featuring Inter, Monterrey and Urawa Red Diamonds awaits.
1) Who will River Plate face at the Club World Cup?
River Plate have been drawn into Group E and these are their group stage fixtures:
17 June: vs Urawa Red Diamonds. Lumen Field, Seattle.
21 June: vs Monterrey. Rose Bowl, Los Angeles.
25 June: vs Internazionale Milano. Lumen Field, Seattle.
2) Argentina's most successful club
To date, River Plate have won 38 Argentine Primera División titles, which is the most by any club, three ahead of fierce rivals Boca Juniors. Their first title was claimed in 1920, with their most recent coming 103 years later.
3) Libertadores triumphs
On top of this, River Plate have claimed four Copa Libertadores titles, a tally only bettered by three clubs. Bizarrely, they were runners-up in 1966 and '76, before eventually claiming glory in '86 and '96.
In more modern times, la Banda defeated Tigres UANL in the 2015 final, then also defeating their most-hated rivals Boca at the Bernabéu in 2018. A year later, they got to the final again, their seventh overall, but were beaten 2-1 by Flamengo in Lima, conceding in the 89th and 92nd minutes.
4) A mixed year so far
So far in 2025, los Millonarios have finished second in Zone B of the Apertura, the highlight of their league campaign a 2-1 Superclásico victory over Boca Juniors, with Franco Mastantuono scoring a stunning free-kick at the Monumental. However, after smashing Barracas Central 3-0 in the round of 16, River Plate were dumped out in the quarter-finals of the final phase by Platense on penalties.
Meantime, they've also come through the Copa Libertadores group phase unbeaten, winning three and drawing three, most-notably demolishing Independiente del Valle 6-2 in Buenos Aires last month.
5) Past Club World Cup expirence
This summer will be River Plate's third appearance at the FIFA Club World Cup. On debut a decade ago, they battled past Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the semi-finals, before being demolished 3-0 by Barcelona in the final in Yokohama. Three years later, their 2018 campaign certainly did not go to plan, embarrassingly beaten by Al Ain on penalties in Abu Dhabi, before a 4-0 victory over Kashima Antlers in the third-place play-off, but this was scant consolation for their ignominious exit.
Los Millonarios also contested the competition's precursor the Intercontinental Cup on two occasions. In 1986, they were 1-0 winners against Steaua București, before being beaten by the same scoreline against Juventus a decade later, also taking place in Tokyo.
6) River Plate players to watch: Sebastián Driussi
Eight years after leaving the club, Sebastián Driussi returned to River Plate earlier this year. While away, the striker won three successive Russian Premier League titles with Zenit Saint Petersburg before joining Austin FC, scoring 51 goals in 115 appearances for the Texas-based MLS club.
Thus, back in January, River Plate paid $10 million to re-sign the 29 year old. Well, since returning to Buenos Aires, Driussi has scored six goals, bagging three in the Copa Libertadores group stages, before concluding the league season by netting in three successive matches, on target against Gimnasia y Esgrima, Boca Juniors and Vélez Sarsfield. Thus, fair to say he's in great form.
7) River Plate players to watch: Franco Mastantuono
Having said all of that, make no mistake about it, this team's star is Franco Mastantuono. The 17 year old became River Plate's third-youngest player ever when he debuted in January last year, making 61 appearances for the club so far.
During this period, Mastantuono has bagged ten goals, most-notably scoring an astonishing free-kick in April's Superclásico victory that told the world to remember the name. So, if you're searching for a breakout star this summer, look no further than the creative midfield that is Mastantuono.
8) River Plate players to watch: Franco Armani
At the other end of the field, if River Plate are going to upset the odds, they'll need goalkeeper Franco Armani to be at his best. The captain, who has 19 Argentina caps to his name, joined River Plate in January 2018, and has accumulated 338 appearances for the club since, winning ten major honours, including the Copa Libertadores at the end of his debut campaign. Even though he's now 38, Armani has to be considered one of the best goalkeepers competing at the Club World Cup.
9) Manager Marcelo Gallardo: targeting more success
Speaking of highly-rated members of this team, that is certainly the case for manager Marcelo Gallardo. During his first stint as boss, Gallardo took charge of 425 matches between 2014 and 2022, winning 14 major honours, the most of any head coach in the club's entire 124 year history.
This included the Copa Sudamericana as well as two Copa Libertadores titles. So, when he departed at the end of 2022, it was expected Gallardo would secure one of the biggest jobs in Europe. Instead, after a year out of work, he took over Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, but this didn't go quite so well, winning 15 of his 31 matches, but losing 14, and was sacked following a fifth place finish with no silverware.
Thus, last August, Gallardo was re-appointed River Plate boss, replacing Martín Demichelis, now looking to re-announce himself as one of the world's best coaches.
10) Can River Plate make a run?
River Plate kick off their Club World Cup campaign against Urawa Red Diamonds, before taking on Monterrey and then Internazionale Milano.
Of course, the Italian side are favourites to progress to the knockout stages, but there's no reason why la Banda cannot join them; their tournament opener in Seattle is likely to set the tone.