GOAL takes a look at knockout round matches that could deliver scintillating storylines ahead of the 2025 Club World Cup
Lionel Messi returning to the pitch against PSG? A battle of the world's two best strikers in Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe? A rematch of the famed 2012 UEFA Champions League final between Chelsea and Bayern Munich?
They're matches that football fans around the world typically dream of being able to watch. However, this summer, they might be more than just dreams, depending on how things shake out in the Group Stages. With every hypothetical situation, though, comes a realistic possibility – and the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup presents that to fans around the world this summer.
Thirty-two of the world's best clubs take to the United States for this summer's premier FIFA competition at the club level, and some juicy matches are on the cards in the opening stages. However, this is all about what happen. Each side of the bracket has its heavyweights, expected favorites, and potential dark horse candidates. Come the knockout round, though, and anything could happen – including some potentially blistering affairs. Some potentially incredible storylines await…
GOAL examines five potential knockout matchups that would make great viewing.
Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream nowGetty ImagesJuventus vs Borussia Dortmund
The reason: For U.S. men's national team fans, a meetup in the knockout stage between the Italian outfit and the Bundesliga side would offer the best chance for them to get a glimpse of the star Americans in action.
For Juventus, that's Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, while for Dortmund, it becomes a bit unique.
Sources tell GOAL that teenage prodigy Matthis Albert – a U.S. youth international – will be traveling with the to the United States this summer for the tournament. That comes in addition to full senior international Gio Reyna, as well as fellow youth international Cole Campbell – who had a breakout season for Dortmund this past campaign.
Each club had a tough break in the UEFA Champions League this past season, but after stellar second halves of their domestic campaign, they qualified for the 2025-26 competition as well. They're on relatively level playing grounds in terms of talent, and the storyline for viewers in the U.S. could not be any better.
It would be a brilliant game.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesReal Madrid vs Man City
The reason: Simply put, this is a UCL final that we could see in the early rounds of the knockout stages. On the same side of the bracket, both Madrid and City are expected to contend for the final, and if they don't meet early on, surely it will be the semifinals.
Neither team walked away with a major trophy in the 2024-25 season, but that doesn't take away from how fantastic each club is. 2024 UCL champions Real Madrid against 2023 champions Manchester City, and the two best strikers in the world going head-to-head? It would be a superb contest.
Kylian Mbappe is coming off a 42-goal season across all competitions in his first campaign for while Haaland – who dealt with his fair share of injuries – bagged 22 in 31 appearances in the Premier League for City. They wouldn't be the only stars on the pitch, either, though. Madrid boasts a trio of Brazilians, including Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo, and Endrick, while City have a star-studded trio of Omar Marmoush, Jeremy Doku, and Savinho.
On the touchline, another storyline would also emerge.
It would also be a reunion of sorts for Pep Guardiola and Xabi Alonso, who just signed on as the new manager of the La Liga outfit. Although they never played internationally together, in the later stages of his professional career, Alonso was signed by Guardiola at Bayern Munich, and they won two Bundesliga titles together.
For fans, a contest worthy of a final could emerge in the knockout rounds, and that would make it all the more exciting.
GettyPSG vs Inter Miami
The reason: This speaks for itself, right?
Following his unexpected departure from Barcelona in the summer of 2021, Messi signed with the Parisian outfit, where he played until the end of the 2022-23 campaign. A reunion on the pitch would be interesting, as former teammates of his still reside in Paris, and the Argentine has gone on the record multiple times, sharing his disdain for his time there.
“As I said at the time, my departure to Paris was not something I wanted, it was not something I wanted to leave Barcelona and, so to speak, it was from one day to the next," he said in 2023.
Since arriving stateside, Messi has flourished in MLS, winning the 2024 league MVP with Inter Miami while leading the South Beach club to a Supporters' Shield title and the MLS regular season points record.
PSG, meanwhile, are coming off a 2025 UCL title, and are expected to be heavy favorites to win this summer's title. With a Ballon d'Or frontrunner in Ousmane Dembele leading their line, alongside starlet Desire Doue, on paper they'd be clear favorites over the . However, with Messi on the pitch against a club he never clicked with, anything could happen – and if there is one person in the world's game you can never count out, it's the Argentine himself.
Getty Images SportLAFC vs Atletico Madrid
The reason: This one might not be as appealing for a global audience as it would be for American soccer fans, but transfer gossip and former relationships would take center stage if this match came to fruition in the Club World Cup this summer.
Atletico star and former France international Antoine Griezmann has long been linked with a transfer to LAFC, and the Frenchman himself has even gone on the record saying he would love to move to MLS at some point during his career. After offseason buildup led to the potentially pouncing for him this summer, the 34-year-old re-signed with Atletico Madrid this past week, keeping him in Spain for two more seasons.
While LAFC haven't publicly confirmed their interest in the Frenchman, they've hinted at it for years now. His decision to stay in Spain will come as a blow to those plans. There are other ties between the forward and LAFC.
Griezmann also has two former teammates on the pitch for the MLS side in Olivier Giroud and Hugo Lloris. So if this match were to come about, it would be a contest fueled by transfer gossip, disappointment and of course, competitive friendship.
