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Bayern Munich had a resounding victory on the opening day of the FIFA Club World Cup. |
For many, this was not only a defeat, but also a big question mark for FIFA's globalization ambitions.
Auckland City - a semi-professional team with players who also work as teachers, warehouse workers or real estate agents - are considered to represent the rest of the football world . They come from Oceania, from a non-professional football background, and have been the "dark horses" of this tournament for many years. But against Bayern, a powerful force with a squad of more than 900 million euros, Auckland City almost had no real resistance.
The first goal came in the 6th minute, but Auckland were in fact struggling to defend from the very first second. Despite organising a tight defensive formation, they were quickly caught up in the Bundesliga champions' pressing and stormy attacking rhythm. Each pass from Bayern was like a wave crashing into the small land, and so 10 goals were spread out, including a hat-trick from Jamal Musiala.
German media, such as Bavarian Football Works , praised Auckland: "They did not give up, they kept their dignity in a hopeless match". But praising their courage cannot obscure one fact: the gap in skill level between the two sides is unacceptable for a tournament with the title of "world".
The Guardian also pointed out the paradox: “They are not the strongest team in Auckland, or even the strongest team in New Zealand.” The city’s professional football team, Auckland FC, also plays in Australia’s A-League, where the quality of play is arguably higher. So what is Auckland City’s status here? Was it because of its history with the Club World Cup, or because FIFA needed a flag from Oceania?
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Auckland City crushed by Bayern Munich at the FIFA Club World Cup. |
The problem is not just in Auckland. FIFA's decision to expand the tournament from 7 to 32 teams has caused quite a few experts to speak out. The BBC stressed: "The increase in size has been opposed by players' organizations and domestic leagues before. A match like this will only give them more reason to protest."
A tournament that has been “doused with cold water” just because it wants to represent the world. But if it represents only to be crushed, perhaps the inclusivity is harming the value of the tournament itself. “How can it be called a Club World Cup when one team has only one shot the entire match, and the opponent has 72 percent possession?”, the New York Times asked bitterly.
Auckland City were once a beautiful symbol of amateur football, of perseverance and pure love. But the Club World Cup should not be a place for teams to “learn” or “experience”. 10-goal defeats are not inspiring – they make people question the legitimacy of the tournament.
Bayern won easily, Kane didn't need to score. But that victory was a difficult problem for FIFA: Are they going in the wrong direction by painting the global picture with such discordant colors?
If the Club World Cup is to truly be a fairytale tournament, there needs to be a limit to how far it can go. Otherwise, dreams like Auckland City’s will be buried under a muddy sea of goals.
Source: https://znews.vn/the-gioi-chung-kien-man-vui-dap-cua-bayern-munich-post1561137.html
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