Some of the best football players on the planet are in action at this year’s Club World Cup, which has been revamped and expanded for 2025.
The tournament, which gets started in the United States this weekend, now features 32 teams rather than seven under the old Club World Cup format.
Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid are all taking part.
With teams from Saudi Arabia and the USA also present, find out below if Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are playing at the Club World Cup…
Is Cristiano Ronaldo playing in the Club World Cup?
There were widespread rumours that Ronaldo was set to leave Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr this summer in order to play at the Club World Cup.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino claimed last month that talks were ongoing about Ronaldo featuring in the new-look tournament.
Ronaldo posted a cryptic social media message after Al-Nassr’s final game of the season that ‘this chapter is over’ and his story is ‘still being written’.
But the Portuguese legend has now confirmed that he will be staying at Al-Nassr, who did not qualify for the Club World Cup, meaning that Ronaldo will not play at the tournament.
‘My future? Basically, nothing is going to change,’ Ronaldo said after lifting the Nations League trophy with Portugal on Sunday. ‘Staying at Al-Nassr? Yes.’
Al-Hilal are only Saudi club in action at this year’s Club World Cup, securing qualification because they won the 2021 AFC Champions League.
Is Lionel Messi playing in the Club World Cup?
Messi will be present at the Club World Cup because he plays for Major League Soccer (MLS) side Inter Miami, who are owned by David Beckham.
The American club qualified in somewhat controversial circumstances because they were not the national champions in the USA and didn’t win the MLS Cup.
Inter Miami were handed a spot because they were awarded the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield, given to the team with the best regular season record.
Inter Miami’s Club World Cup fixtures
Inter Miami are in Group A with Egyptian side Al-Ahly, Portuguese club Porto and Brazilian team Palmeiras.
- Al-Ahly vs Inter Miami | June 15 | 1am UK time
- Inter Miami vs Porto | June 19 | 8pm UK time
- Inter Miami vs Palmeiras | June 24 | 2am UK time
‘[Messi] is one of the players everyone wants to see,’ Sergio Aguero said about FIFA’s decision to give Inter Miami a special invitation to feature.
The former Manchester City and Argentina striker added: ‘I think that it will be great to see Inter Miami compete against the other teams, and especially see the Inter Miami version of Messi.
‘Even if he has a bad 88 minutes, you know that in those last two minutes, he can smash in a goal, he can score from a free-kick, he can make a play you are not expecting because, ultimately, he’s the best player in the world.’
How many times have Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi won the Club World Cup?
Ronaldo has won the Club World Cup four times – all under the previous format, which only featured seven teams, one of which was European.
The 40-year-old won his first Club World Cup with Manchester United in 2008 and he added three more at Real Madrid in 2014, 2016 and 2017.
Messi has won the Club World Cup three times – one less than Ronaldo – which all came with Barcelona in 2009, 2011 and 2015.
The 37-year-old’s Club World Cup triumphs were also achieved under the old format before the tournament was revamped and expanded for 2025.