NFL
By Keith Richards
Welcome back! Today, we continue our journey to break down each group of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. So far, we’ve covered Groups A and B (the Group of Death). Now, we move on to Group C. Group C contains clubs that are probably less famous than some in Groups A and B. However, these four clubs are likely hungrier and anxious to prove themselves.
As always, we will examine each club’s history, discuss how each club is currently performing in its respective domestic leagues, and pick which two teams will advance to the Knockout Stage. So, let’s get right to it.
FC Bayern München – Bundesliga (Germany)
FC Bayern München? Who the hell is that?! For us non-German speakers, that would be FC Bayern Munich, and they are the powerhouses of Group C. While the other clubs of Group C may be lesser known, Bayern München is one of the most famous clubs in the world. When it comes to the Bundesliga, FC Bayern Munich is king.
In the 63 years since the Bundesliga was founded, no one has won more Bundesliga titles than Bayern Munich. Eight clubs in Bundesliga history have won multiple titles (München, Borussia Dortmund, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Werder Bremen, Hamburger SV, VfB Stuttgart, FC Köln, and FC Kaiserslautern). Excluding Munich, those clubs have combined for 24 Bundesliga titles. Bayern Munich outranks them all.
Munich has won 33 championships in the 60 years it has been in the Bundesliga. I can take a perspective on their dominance a step further. We like to look at the team’s success in their domestic league over the last ten seasons. In the Bundesliga, it’s an easy list to compile. Over the past ten seasons, here’s a list of the teams that have won a championship: FC Bayern München and Bayer Leverkusen. That’s it! It’s an even better stake to modern dominance than Al Ahly of the Egyptian Premier League.
Not convinced? Alright. One last preview of the dominance of Munich. There have been 24 Bundesliga seasons since the turn of the century (the 2000-01 season). Bayern Munich has won 18 of those 24 titles. Borussia Dortmund is the only club to win more than one title in that stretch and consecutive titles. It’s dominance that you rarely see in any sport. Hence, FC Bayern München is easily the best club in Group C.
IFFHS currently ranks Munich as the 6th-best club in the world. However, that’s a slight dip from the previous ranking, where they were ranked 4th. How can that be? München has not had as much success internationally as it has domestically. Bayern was the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League winners, their sixth UEFA title. Since then, they’ve only advanced past the quarterfinals once.
If FC Bayern München wants to overtake its English and Spanish competition, the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is a great place to start. Fresh off their dominant 2024-25 Bundesliga title, the Club World Cup gives them another opportunity to prove they can be more dominant on the international stage. Obliterating Group C is not enough. Munich must make a deep run in the tournament, to the quarterfinals at the very least. I think they can do it.
Auckland City FC – Northern League/National League (New Zealand)
Regarding the Oceania Football Conference, Auckland City FC is the most successful club in the confederation. However, regarding Group C, Auckland is arguably the least known club internationally. It’s not a knock on them. No, not at all. Still, one does not consider Auckland City FC and the OFC when considering international football powerhouses. Yet, the New Zealand club is not a pushover. They may be the underdogs in Group C, but they are not a club that one overlooks because they lack notoriety.
Auckland City FC was a 12-time New Zealand Football Champion. I saw that because the ISPS Handa Men’s Premiership was replaced in 2021 by the New Zealand National League. However, in the 21 years of the Handa Men’s Premiership, no one came close to Auckland. In addition to their 12 premiership titles, Auckland City FC were eight-time Grand Final winners, which was the most of all time.
Since the creation of the National League, Auckland has played primarily in the Northern League, which is its feeder league to the National League. 2+2=Auckland competes in the Northern League, which allows them to qualify for the National League, where the Premiership season is played. I hope you can remember that because there will be a test next Monday. It will be open note.
In the four years the National League has existed, Auckland City FC has won the Northern League in all four seasons and the National League in two out of the four seasons. As of today, Auckland is fifth in the Northern League after ten matches played, so they have some ground to make up.
Auckland may shock some people in Group C. IFFHS ranked them 276th in their most recent rankings, a jump of 119 spots over their previous rankings. This makes Auckland City the lowest-ranked team in Group C. However, as I said before, they’re not a team to overlook. As their only entrant, Auckland City FC represents all the OFC. Teams like that are dangerous. Nothing makes a team outperform its expected quality more than pride.
CA Boca Juniors – Primera División (Argentina)
Boca Juniors is one of the powerhouses of Argentina’s Primera División. The club was founded in 1905 and has been in Primera División since 1913. During that time, they have won 35 league titles, second only to their Superclásico rivals, River Plate. While Boca has seen a recent slip in the IFFHS rankings of clubs worldwide, it’s a club rich with history and success.
Throughout its history, Boca has won an astounding 61 trophies. That number is usually associated with UEFA clubs. However, Boca Juniors has been around for a long time and has been successful for a long time. They’re one of the most successful clubs in CONMEBOL. Boca’s six Copa Libertadores titles are second only to Independiente in the competition’s history.
Still, it’s the Primera División where Boca Juniors butter their bread. Over the past ten seasons, Boca has won the league title five times. They haven’t, however, won a title or finished in the top three since 2022. Hence, their recent fall in the IFFHS rankings. Currently, IFFHS ranks Boca as the 68th best club in the world.
It’s an 11-place fall from the previous year. Additionally, Boca Juniors failed to make the Copa Libertadores for the second consecutive time, which is the first time that’s happened for them in the last 14 years. Consequently, I think it’s safe to say that Boca Juniors is in unfamiliar territory.
Coming into Group C of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Boca is second in Group A of the Primera División table. Argentinos Juniors is tied with Boca Juniors at 33 points, but they hold the goal difference advantage. According to the IFFHS rankings, Boca Juniors is the third-best club in Group C. For a club as proud and (historically) successful as Boca, I’m sure that does not sit well with them.
I expect them to push for a strong showing in the group, try to make it to the Knockout Stage, and then make a deep run in the tournament. It won’t be easy. However, if they want to remind everyone who they are, Boca Junior must do it.
SL Benfica – Primeira Liga
SL Benfica is part of three teams in Primeira Liga known as Os Três Grandes: Benfica, FC Porto, and Sporting CP. Regarding Primeira Liga in Portugal, Os Três Grandes are the cream of the crop, and I don’t just mean in modern football. I mean ever. Regarding Portuguese football, no club has been even remotely as successful as Os Três Grandes.
Primeira Liga was founded in 1934. Only five teams have held the Primeira Liga title since its inception. Belenenses won in the 1945-46 season, and Boavista won in the 2000-01 season. Benfica, FC Porto, and Sporting CP hold all the other titles. Yet, there can only be one king. Historically, Os Três Grandes is the high council, but Benfica is the high king.
Sporting CP comes in third with 21 Primeira titles, including 21 seasons as runners-up. FC Porto is second with 30 Primeira championships, including 29 seasons as runners-up. Finally, you have Benfica. SL Benfica has won 38 Primeira Liga titles. Additionally, they’ve been runners-up 31 times, the most in Primeira Liga history.
Over the past ten seasons, including the recently concluded 2024-25 season, Benfica has won four Primeira Liga titles. While SL Benfica has the most titles in the past ten seasons, they haven’t consistently been the best of Os Três Grandes. That honor falls to Sporting CP. Benfica only has one title in the past five seasons, versus three for Sporting CP.
Nevertheless, the high kings have been on the move. In the 2023-24 season, Sporting CP beat SL Benfica for the title by 10 points. However, in the 2024-25 season, Benfica only lost by two points. Additionally, they closed the gap in goal difference in the 2024-25 season. IFFHS ranks Benfica as the 30th best club in the world. Benfica’s path to the Knockout Stage shouldn’t be too difficult if they’re fit and in form.
The Prediction
There’s no need to get cute with this one. I think Bayern Munich and Benfica will move on to the Knockout Stage. Our hearts will be pulling for Auckland City FC as the little guy, but Munich and Benfica are just too good. Additionally, both will have plenty of rest since their seasons are over. Boca Juniors and Auckland are just not enough here.
Who do you think will make it out of the group? Let us know!
