Manchester City continued their dominant run in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, demonstrating their formidable squad depth by rolling out a completely new lineup yet still securing a resounding 6-0 victory against UAE’s Al Ain on June 22, 2025, in Atlanta. This impressive win followed their earlier 2-0 triumph over Morocco’s Wydad AC, ensuring a second straight clean sheet and a clear path into the tournament’s knockout stage. The performance served as a powerful statement of City's strength and potential for the upcoming months.

The match against Al Ain saw an impressive display of scoring from multiple players. Ilkay Gündogan opened the scoring with a beautiful chip just eight minutes into the game, later adding a second goal in the 73rd minute. Debutant Claudio Echeverri marked his first appearance with an electrifying free-kick in the 27th minute, a testament to his dedicated practice, as noted by manager Pep Guardiola. Erling Haaland coolly converted a penalty kick to close out the first half, followed by Oscar Bobb’s goal in the 84th minute and Rayan Cherki’s sixth in the 89th minute. City maintained substantial advantages in possession (74%-26%), shots (21-4), and shots on goal (11-1), thoroughly overwhelming their opposition.

Pep Guardiola strategically leveraged his extensive roster, demonstrating the luxury of fielding two distinct, highly competitive sides in the tournament. This allowed for crucial player rest ahead of the final group match against Juventus and provided young talents an invaluable opportunity to gain international experience. While the wholesale lineup change led to some choppiness and occasional sloppiness in execution, these were viewed as minor flow errors that Guardiola aimed to iron out in this setting, rather than in a high-stakes Champions League fixture. The enthusiastic crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, despite not being a sellout, provided a vibrant, home-like atmosphere for City, underscoring the global appeal FIFA hopes to achieve with the Club World Cup.

In other significant Group G action on June 22, 2025, Juventus secured their place in the last 16 by routing Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca 4-1 in Philadelphia. Twenty-year-old Turkish international Kenan Yildiz was a standout performer, scoring twice. An early own goal from Abdelmounaim Boutouil gifted Juventus the lead, and Dusan Vlahovic sealed the victory with a 94th-minute penalty after being fouled, ensuring Juventus joined Manchester City in advancing from their group.

Meanwhile, in Charlotte, Real Madrid also marked their first win of the tournament, defeating Mexican side Pachuca 3-1. This victory was particularly gritty as the Spanish giants played nearly the entire match with 10 men following Raul Asencio’s seventh-minute straight red card. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Real Madrid found the net through Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler, and Federico Valverde, showcasing their resilience and moving to the top of Group H.

With these results, Manchester City, Juventus, and Real Madrid have successfully advanced to the knockout stage of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. Other teams like Pachuca, Al Ain, and Wydad Casablanca, along with previously eliminated Auckland City, Ulsan, Urawa Red Diamonds, and Los Angeles FC, have exited the competition. The tournament continues to highlight the prowess of top European clubs on the global stage.

Despite a recent season that saw City fall short of major trophies, Pep Guardiola emphasized that the Club World Cup offers a valuable opportunity for preparation. He views this competition not merely as a quest for another immediate trophy, but as a crucial phase in putting pieces in place for their larger objectives in 2026. This forward-looking strategy suggests that City's current dominance is a precursor to an even more formidable presence in future competitions, a prospect likely to concern their rivals globally.