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Defender Jordi Alba has said the 2025 Club World Cup will not be easy for Inter Miami CF, as the Major League Soccer team looks to compete against several European giants and "elites."
FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced Inter Miami as the final MLS participant of the competition, after being selected by the organization for winning the 2024 Supporters' Shield.
Inter Miami now joins the list of competitors that includes Manchester City (2022-23 Champions League winners) and Real Madrid (2021-22 and 2023-24 Champions League winners).
"The Club World Cup is important for Inter Miami, in general, I think it is important to face those types of teams," he said on Friday.
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Inter Miami will host the inaugural match of the tournament at Hard Rock Stadium on July 15, 2025, against an undetermined opponent. The expanded 32-club event will be played in 12 stadiums across the United States from June 15 to July 13, 2025.
"Fortunately, we [former Barcelona players Alba, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suárez] have already played against them, but practically the entire team has not had the opportunity to play against those types of players, those teams," Alba said. "It will be difficult, it will be difficult. But I think it is a great success to be there, compete to the maximum, as always, and well, see how far we go."
Inter Miami head coach Gerardo Martino insisted the team feels an immense privilege over being selected to participate, before warning of the elite competitors included in the tournament.
Lionel Messi has played in three Club World Cups while Jordi Alba has played in one. Megan Briggs/Getty Images
"A few weeks ago when it was said that being the best team in the regular season we could have that award or rather be considered to enter the Club World Cup, the fact that the merit lies on the sporting side gives us peace of mind," he said.
"We always try to compete in the best way. The elite are the elite and the rest are the rest," he said. "And there is a reason they are always the same in the elite group, including when those of the elite fight against those of the elite.
"Even so, I think it is a first step and that probably in the future, perhaps in the near future, the league will have to see how it allows the MLS clubs to train for the Club World Cup, from now on to the future they can compete in a better way."
The 2025 Club World Cup will feature 32 clubs from around the world for the first time, after FIFA opted to expand the tournament from the previous seven-team format. FIFA awarded 12 spots to Europe (UEFA), six to South America (CONMEBOL), four each to North America and the Caribbean (Concacaf), Asia (AFC) and Africa (CAF) and one to Oceania (OFC).
Most teams have already been determined, with just one CONMEBOL ticket remaining for the winner of the 2024 Copa Libertadores.
Source: espn.co.uk