Monterray against Inter Milan's opening game at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is more than a North America-European encounter. On one hand, an Italian squad pressure-cooked with anticipation having been thrashed 5-0 by PSG in the Champions League final. On the other, a Mexican team full of tournament experience and players aware of European football. The game will be at California-based Rose Bowl, and the loser risks being plunged into group trouble at an early stage and losing out on a coveted spot at the first round.
Rayados and Inter with coaches making their debut in the tournament
New coach Cristian Chivu, who just took over from Simone Inzaghi at Inter, is already compelled to field a team with major players missing. Taremi is not present since he was not able to travel with the Iranian airspace closure that is a direct consequence of the Israeli bombings. Çalhanoglu and Esposito are also injured. That compels the manager to make some immediate adjustments to the team. The midfield core remains the same with Lautaro Martínez, Barella, Thuram, and Bastoni, but confidence since the Champions League disaster is clearly not.
Monterrey, meanwhile, are coming with their full strength. Carlos Salcedo is back in training after being injured, and all the marquee names are available. Sergio Ramos leads the defense with the experience of a multi-Champions League winner. In attack, Germán Berterame is the danger man with 22 goals last season, and Sergio Canales is also coming into his best shape with 31 contributions to goals.
Yet another newcomer is Domènec Torrent. The Spanish coach takes his seat on the Monterrey bench for the first competitive game, with experience beside him at Barcelona, Bayern, and Manchester City. Recently, Flamengo, Galatasaray, and Atlético San Luis were the teams he managed. He won’t try to change the world. He knows the importance of the weight of the game and the necessity to have a proper start, and that a great performance against a European club has the potential to open doors to the club and himself.
World Cup experience
Inter last played the Club World Cup, in 2010, where they won the title with a 3-0 win against TP Mazembe, not conceding a single goal. They have not been seen since. They arrive this time as Champions League runners-up, eager to make their mark on the reformed competition, though the caution light is on.
Monterrey have extensive tournament experience. They are appearing here sixth times and were twice third. No Concacaf team has played at the Club World Cup more often than Rayados. Their record against European sides is not so clear-cut, however: losses to Chelsea in 2012 and to Liverpool in 2019.
A new Inter date with Monterrey This too will be Monterney's first ever meeting with Inter. It is also the first time that Italian and Mexican clubs have met at the Club World Cup. Los Angeles' iconic Rose Bowl stadium, famous for Brazil's World Cup triumph of 1994, will have a sizeable Latin population, something that would also give the Mexican club that much more reason to.