Club World Cup 2025
Club World Cup: Atlético wastes Barça's quota
Published:24/06/2025 - 00:40h
Updated:24/06/2025 - 00:42h
Atlético de Madrid failed to overcome the group stage of the Club World Cup. The 'colchoneros' kept the quota that could have been Barça's, but consummated another historic failure
In April 2024, the elimination of FC Barcelona against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals consummated the qualification of Atlético de Madrid to the 2025 Club World Cup.
Due to their UEFA coefficient (the accumulated score between the 20/21 and 23/24 seasons), the 'colchoneros' kept the second quota of Spain for the tournament, after Real Madrid secured their direct pass as Champions League champion in 2022 and 2024.
A year later, the 'colchoneros' completed another disappointing season, while Barça swept all the local titles (League, Cup and Super Cup) in Spain. The 'Aleti' traveled to the World Cup without reinforcements and, in a group where they were clear favorites to advance to the round of 16 along with PSG, ended up being left out despite adding 6 points out of 9 possible.
Atlético stars in the first major European failure of the World Cup
The 'rojiblancos' were thrashed by Paris in their debut (4-0), a result that was the beginning of the end of the World Cup failure for Diego Simeone's team. Although Atlético defeated Seattle Sounders (1-3) on the second day, the surprising victory of the Brazilian Botafogo against PSG (0-1) forced the Spaniards to win by a landslide on the last day.
However, this did not happen and the victory by the minimum (1-0) against the current champion of the Copa Libertadores only served for PSG to keep the lead of the group. Botafogo, meanwhile, finished second, although all three teams added 6 points.
In this way, the 'colchonero' team consummated a new failure, wasting the quota that, had the qualifying format been different, would have corresponded to a Barcelona that is, in the eyes of the whole world, the great absentee of the tournament that is played in the United States.
FIFA has a lot to review in its Club World Cup qualifying format
In that sense, although the first edition of the new Club World Cup has had a positive impact at the media level (especially in America), FIFA has a lot to improve, especially regarding the qualifying format.
Along with Barça, the current champions of England (Liverpool) and Italy (Naples) also failed to qualify. Meanwhile, teams like Oporto or Atlético went to represent UEFA simply to confirm the mediocrity of their current state of form.
Nor has the level of teams like Benfica, Chelsea or Real Madrid itself been good, but the draw helped 'blues' and 'merengues' to resolve their qualification against rivals of lower hierarchy.
Beyond the extra physical wear and tear that the World Cup implies for European teams, it is clear that FIFA's bet has given the results expected by Gianni Infantino. For 2029, yes, the tournament is obliged to raise its competitive level to prolong its validity and profitability.
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