Auckland City shocked Boca Juniors by drawing and winning 930,000 euros. |
Modern football is, after all, a world dominated by huge numbers. Transfer deals worth hundreds of millions, weekly wages worth hundreds of thousands of euros, and leagues where money is almost the only passport to success.
But amidst all that, there is still room for fairy tales - miracles that make the world stop and listen. Auckland City has just written such a chapter at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™.
In New Jersey, a semi-professional team from New Zealand did the seemingly impossible: they held South American giants Boca Juniors to a 1-1 draw. A result that eliminated the Argentine team and turned the Kiwi side-hustlers into global heroes after just 90 minutes of heroic play.
But the magic wasn’t just in the score. The draw earned Auckland City a bonus of €930,000 ($1 million) – an unimaginable sum for a club whose players earn around €93 per game and €84 per week. For the big clubs, that’s a fraction of the budget. For Auckland City, it was a life-changing moment.
Auckland City went to America with the spirit of workers, returned with a million-dollar bonus and, above all, recognition from the world. |
No one illustrates this contrast better than Sebastian Ciganda, the team’s reserve goalkeeper. “I cleaned the pool and the Jacuzzi. I took time off to go to America, otherwise I would have quit. I didn’t get paid while I was away, but I was happy because the bonus was shared equally among the team,” he said. The story of a true worker – and a warrior on the pitch – moved the entire football world.
Auckland City’s only goal was scored by Christian Gray, a 27-year-old PE teacher. From a corner kick in the 52nd minute, Gray jumped high to head the ball into the Boca net, then ran off to celebrate with tears in his eyes. He teaches at Mount Roskill School and is involved in the ACFC in the Community program – proving that there are still footballers who play for the love of the game, for the community, not just for the glory.
The difference is staggering. While Auckland FC – their cross-town rivals in the A-League – pay salaries of around €65,000 a year, Auckland City are a regional side playing semi-professional football on the North Island. And Boca? A South American powerhouse, with the pressure to win, an all-star squad, a glorious history. Yet they still couldn’t beat a team of side hustlers, with hearts full of pride.
This achievement is not just a shock for Boca Juniors. It is a triumph of original football - where ambition, honesty and love for the ball still hold true. Auckland City came to America with the spirit of craftsmen, returned with a million-dollar bonus and, above all, recognition from the world.
They proved that sometimes, all it takes is one chance, one moment - pool cleaners can rewrite football history. And in a world where everything can be bought, Auckland City remind us that some things only happen when you fight with all your heart.
Source: https://znews.vn/auckland-city-doi-doi-post1563703.html
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