Star-studded squad named to face Auckland City at FIFA Club World Cup

Auckland City’s first-round opponents at the FIFA Club World Cup have named a star-studded squad ahead of the tournament in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi club Al-Ittihad will send arguably the strongest-ever squad outside Europe or South America to a FIFA Club World Cup, with head coach Marcelo Gallardo picking the likes of Karim Benzema, Luiz Felipe, N’Golo Kante, Fabinho and Jota.

Main photo: Karim Benzema … winner of the coveted Ballon d’Or. Photo credit: FIFA.com.

Al-Ittihad meet Auckland City on Wednesday December 13 (NZT) with the winner earning a second-round tie against Egypt’s Al Ahly, who are the current African champions.

The big names in the tournament squad list include:

• French legend Karim Benzema is a past winner of the UEFA Player of the Year and the coveted Ballon d’Or. Capped 97 times by France, he played 112 games for French club Lyon and 439 for Spain’s Real Madrid.
• Defensive midfielder N’Gole Kante has played more than 50 internationals for France, and was a FIFA World Cup winner in 2018 and was in the squad that won the 2021 Euro Nations Cup. He made more than 200 appearances in the English Premier League with Leicester City and Chelsea before moving to Saudi Arabia this year.
• Braziian defensive midfielder Fabhino joined Al-Ittihad this year after 151 games for English Premier League club Liverpool, with whom he won the EPL title. He went to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar with Brazil for whom he’s played 29 times.
• Winger Jota has made 72 appearances at age group level for Portugal was in his country’s FIFA World Cup training squad last year. He joined Al-Ittihad from Scotland’s Celtic.
• Brazil-born centre-back Luiz Felipe plays for the Italian national team, despite playing age-group internationals for the country of his birth.

Al-Ittihad’s head coach Gallardo (47) is a former Argentina international with 44 caps who joined the Saudi club on an 18-month contract after eight years in charge of South American giants River Plate.

The seven contenders for the FIFA Club World Cup have named their 23-man squads.

Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland will represent UEFA Champions League holders Manchester City at the tournament. Kevin De Bruyne, not featured since the opening day of the Premier League season in August due to injury, has also been included in the squad.

Fluminense right-back Samuel Xavier will join other key players such as Real Madrid legend Marcelo, 22-year-old Seleção midfielder Andre, Colombia winger Jhon Arias and Argentina’s German Cano.

Click here to download the squad lists >>>>>

Squads

Name / age / nationality

Fixture

FIFA Club World Cup

Game to be played on Wednesday December 13 (NZT)

Al-Ittihad v Auckland City
King Abdulah Sports City Stadium, 7am (NZT)

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