Breakout Stars & Big Names: Players to Watch at the Club World Cup

Once again, another campaign of our beloved sport has come to an end. However, there is no need to be upset; there is plenty more football yet to come. The brand-new revamped Club World Cup is right on our doorstep, featuring some of the largest, most popular football teams across the world - who will all battle it out for an impressive sum of prize money.

With this redecorated tournament over in the United States dragging along an abundance of scepticism, you can discover exactly what to expect from it here at Football Park. We will be covering every match throughout the energised competition on our predictions page, with insights from our team of in-house betting experts.

Alongside world-famous football teams, rich in history and financial wealth, comes global superstars whom adolescents idolise whilst playing the sport they love. In this Club World Cup related article, we will be looking into the key players competing in the inaugural renovation – discussing the influence they could have on the tournament.

Lionel Messi – Inter Miami

When Leo Messi is competing in the competition, it goes without saying he will be the headliner. Since leaving European football back in 2023, Messi has been tucked up within MLS viewership. However, a fresh new stage offers the superstar a chance to replenish some of the astonishing talent we all know and love, up against familiar European competition.

Lionel Messi has officially been announced by Inter Miami 🇺🇸🤩

After visiting PSG training in April, co-owner David Beckham has finally got his man 🔥🐐 pic.twitter.com/KTI84Btwtk
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) July 15, 2023

The Messiah has already bagged 10 goals and five assists in 13 games since the MLS season commenced back in February. Four goals and three assists of those have come in the Argentine’s last two matches. Despite turning 38 this month, there is no reason to suggest why Messi should not be up there in the top-scorer charts throughout the Club World Cup.

Kylian Mbappe – Real Madrid

It is fair to say that Kylian Mbappe is likely to become the World Cup’s greatest ever goalscorer by the end of his career, now it is just time to replicate his prowess for his new side in the adjacent tournament. Alongside his 12 World Cup goals for France, 26-year-old Mbappe has picked up 326 in 436 career games at club level – putting his name coupled with the all-time greats.

Untitled design.jpg (Kylian Mbappe Senior Career Stats: FotMob)

Nothing has changed since his summer move to Real Madrid last year either. To nobody’s surprise, the Frenchman has already won the La Liga Golden Boot in his first season, following an outstanding campaign for Los Blancos. He netted 31 goals in the Spanish top flight, and his numbers only look like increasing during the Club World Cup – especially with the combination of teammates Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.

Barcelona’s Front Three

When it comes to arguably the most dynamic and best performing front three in the world right now, there is no way you can choose one in particular to add to this list. Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Lamine Yamal have taken world football by absolute storm this season. The tripartite of flair has a collective of 83 goals between them in both La Liga and the Champions League in the season just finished, helping Barca to regain their league champions status.

Raphinha in particular lit up the Champions league campaign. Unfortunate not to reach the final, the Brazilian tallied up 13 goals and eight assists in the anticipated competition. This not only awarded the former Leeds United winger as the Golden Boot winner, but also meant he had totalled the most assists out of any player as well. The experienced Lewandowski also picked up 11 goals in the Champions League to adjoin his 27-goal La Liga triumph. And well Yamal, he is just producing talent that we have rarely ever seen from a 17-year-old before – it is truly inhumane.

Untitled design.jpg (FC Barcelona Champions League 2024/25 Stats: FotMob)

Whilst Barca are no strangers from an iconic front three – this current trio continues to blow everyone away with the combination they deliver.

Aleksandar Mitrovic – Al Hilal

The inclusion of Saudi Pro League teams into the Club World Cups means that many of us are reimbursed with the opportunity to watch some of the popular players who made the trending switch over to the Middle East.

Saudi pro league is cooking. pic.twitter.com/h6JgCiAP1D
— ZEE⁷ 🇵🇹 (@RMZee_) September 9, 2023

Aleksandar Mitrovic was one of those players, as the Serbian left his dearest Fulham for a move over to Al Hilal back in 2023. The forward has always had a plethora of goals in his locker. Breaking the Championship record for the most goals in one season with a whopping 43 simply just epitomises that.

After adding two Championship Golden Boots and 38 Premier League goals to his resume, Mitro’s goalscoring cravings did not end there. Since playing in Saudi Arabia, the powerhouse has racked up 68 goals in 78 games – including the 28 Saudi Pro League goals from his Golden Boot race against Cristiano Ronaldo last term.

Untitled design.jpg (2023/24 Saudi Pro League Top Scorers: FotMob)

Sergio Ramos - Monterrey

Sergio Ramos – a four-time Champions League winner, owner of a World Cup winners medal and one of football’s most iconic captains in history. He is a defender known for taking no nonsense, whilst keeping some of the greatest attackers in the sport under wraps. The Spaniard has just the chance to display this defensive excellence once more in the Club World Cup, as he looks to potentially take on the same ensemble of players in which produced clashes worthy of footballing heritage all of them years back.

Whilst this new format of the competition is nothing that Ramos has experienced before, the 39-year-old already has four Club World Cup wins under his belt. It is no secret that Monterrey are one of the many underdogs in this tournament, but Sergio Ramos’ experience has already helped the Liga MX side kick on domestically. In the eight matches he has played since signing in February, the Galáctico has already added three goals and has only lost one game for the Rayados.

Sergio Ramos is set to join Monterrey on a free transfer, reports @FabrizioRomano

The next step in his illustrious career 🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/U9eauajqv0
— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 2, 2025

However, after picking up an injury over a month ago, Ramos is yet to make his return back to the Monterrey squad. Therefore, his appearance in the opening Club World Cup matches may be an uncertainty.