FIFA Club World Cup: Inter's opponents | OneFootball

Inter will take on River Plate, CF Monterrey and Urawa Red Diamonds. Inter, who were in the second wave of the draw, were placed in Group E. In the first match, the Nerazzurri will face the Mexican side CF Monterrey. Following that game, we will face the Japanese side, Urawa Red Diamonds, before our final group match against River Plate.

FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP: INTER'S SCHEDULE

GROUP E

Thursday 17 June 2025 River Plate vs. Urawa Red Diamonds | Lumen Field (Seattle) - 12:00 (local time) Monterrey vs. Inter | Rose Bowl Stadium (Los Angeles) - 18:00 (local time)

Saturday 21 June 2025 Inter vs. Urawa Red Diamonds | Lumen Field (Seattle) - 12:00 (local time) River Plate vs. Monterrey | Rose Bowl Stadium (Los Angeles) - 18:00 (local time)

Wednesday 25 June 2025 Urawa Red Diamonds vs. Monterrey | Rose Bowl Stadium (Los Angeles) - 18:00 (local time) Inter vs. River Plate | Lumen Field (Seattle) - 12:00 (local time)

AFTER THE GROUP STAGE

Inter are placed in Group E, which is paired with Group F (Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns) for the round of 16.

The first-placed team from Group E (1E) will play in the round of 16 match on 30 June at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte against the second-placed team from Group F (2F) [match 53].

The Group E (2E) runners-up will play on 1 July at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta against the top team in Group F (1F) [match 56].

In the quarter-finals, the winner of match 53 will face the winner of match 54 (first in Group G vs. second in Group H) in Orlando (Inter&Co Stadium, 4 July, 15:00); the winner of match 56 will face the winner of match 55 (1H vs. 2G) in New York (New Jersey, MetLife Stadium, 5 July, 16:00).

The semi-finals and final will be played at the MetLife Stadium.

RIVER PLATE

One of the most legendary sides in South America, River Plate qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup thanks to there ranking score. In their long history, they have won 38 Argentinian titles, a national record and four Copa Libertadores, winning their last one in 2018 after the historical final against their eternal rivals Boca Juniors. This was the last win by an Argentinian side since 2019, after which the tournament has only been won by Brazilian sides.

In 2024, River Plate were eliminated in the semi-final by Atletico Mineiro (3-0 and 0-0 in the double game tie). In the 2025 season, currently underway, the Millonarios ended the season unbeaten in the initial groups, racking up 12 points with three wins and three draws. Results meant that River Plate finished first in Group B, ahead of Club Universitario de Deportes, Independiente del Valle and Barcelona S.C. In August they will play the Libertadores Round of 16, in which Riner will face the Paragyuans, Libertad Asuncion.

In national competition, River Plate concluded the Torneo Apertura of the Argentine championship in the quarterfinals, eliminated by Platense (who later won the championship) in a penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1. Previously, River had beaten Barracas Central 3-0 in the Round of 16 and finished the regular season with 31 points (8 wins, 7 draws, 1 loss) in second place in the Zone B standings, trailing only Rosario Central. In the Copa Argentina, the Millonarios defeated Ciudad Bolivar in the first round and are now waiting to face Club Atletico San Martin in the second round. River Plate’s manager is Marcelo Gallardo, a true club legend who has won both as a player (6 Argentine championships, one Copa Libertadores, one Supercopa Sudamericana) and as a coach. Between 2014 and 2022, Gallardo led River to national triumphs (one championship, three Copa Argentina titles, two Supercopa Argentina titles, one Trofeo de Campeones de la Liga Profesional) and international successes (two Copa Libertadores, one Copa Sudamericana, three Recopa Sudamericana, one Copa Suruga Bank). This long list of achievements allowed Gallardo to be recognized as the best coach in South America in 2018, 2019, and 2020. After gaining experience in Saudi Arabia coaching Al-Ittihad, the manager returned to River Plate in August 2024. River Plate boasts many interesting players. Since January, when the Torneo Apertura began, the team's top scorer with 7 goals is the young star Franco Mastantuono, a hugely talented player born in 2007. Behind him is the Colombian Miguel Borja with 6 goals, who was the top scorer last season with 31 goals in 46 appearances. Facundo Colidio, a forward who also spent time in Inter Milan's youth academy, has also scored six goals in 2025. Experience in the squad is guaranteed by former West Ham player Manuel Lanzini and by World Cup winners Marcos Acuña, Gonzalo Montiel, former Fiorentina player Germán Pezzella, and the captain, goalkeeper Franco Armani, who also won in Qatar. PREVIOUS MEETINGS

River Plate and Inter have never faced each other in official competitions, but the Nerazzurri did face the club from Buenos Aires in a friendly played in Milano in 1961. In the summer of that year a special international tournament was organised to celebrate the Centenary of the Unification of Italy: Inter, Juventus, Napoli, Roma, Racing Parigi, River Plate, Santos and Sparta Prague all took part. After beating Sparta 7-1, Inter then faced River Plate at San Siro on 21 June 1961, in a match that the Corriere della Sera of the time defined as "beautiful and exciting", in front of around 75,000 spectators. The Nerazzurri lineup was: Da Pozzo, Picchi, Masiero, Zaglio, Guarneri, Balleri, Bicicli, Lindskog, Bettini, Suarez, Corso. The game ended 1-1: Inter took the lead in the 31st minute through Corso's header, from Bicicli's cross, who was quick to link up well with Suarez, firstly, and then with Zaglio. River managed to equalise in the second half from Moacyr's free kick from the edge of the box. With the draw earned, Inter qualified for the final of the tournament, which they lost 4-1 against Pelé's Santos.

In official matches, Inter have just one illustrious past meeting against Argentine teams but the Nerazzurri have faced a few Argentinian sides. In 1964, after winning the Champions Cup, Inter faced Independiente in a two-legged game for the final of the Intercontinental Cup.

In the first leg, played on September 9 in Avellaneda, the Argentinian's won 1-0. The return leg on September 23 at San Siro saw Helenio Herrera's army level the contest, thanks to goals from Mazzola and Corso, meaning a third match was needed to decide the winner. The play-off, held three days later at the "Santiago Bernabéu" in Madrid, marked the triumph of the Grande Inter in extra time, with a left-footed strike from Mario Corso securing the nerazzurri’s first-ever ascent to the top of world football. Twelve months later, the two sides faced off in the 1965 edition of the trophy. This time, the first round was played at San Siro on 8 September 1965: Inter beat the opponents 3-0 overall, thanks to a goal from Peirò and a brace from Mazzola, including a stunning overhead kick. In the return match, a week later in Buenos Aires, Inter managed to keep a clean sheet and win the Intercontinental Cup for the second year running, writing one of the most glorious pages in the history of world football.

PLAYERS WHO HAVE PLAYED FOR BOTH

There have been a lot of players who have played for both sides: Matias Almeyda, Gabriel Batistuta, Esteban Cambiasso, Juan Pablo Carrizo, Hernan Crespo, Julio Cruz, Daniel Passarella, Sixto Peralta, Nelson Rivas, Alexis Sanchez, Santiago Solari and Nelson Vivas.

MONTERREY

Club de Fútbol Monterrey, a Mexican team based in the city of the same name, qualified for the Club World Cup by winning the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2021. Throughout their history, the Rayados have secured five Mexican championships and five Champions Cup titles. Notably, all their Champions Cup victories came between 2011 and 2021, allowing Monterrey to compete in the previous Club World Cup format on five separate occasions. The 2024/25 season saw the team experience a mixed bag of results. In the Torneo Apertura, played between July and December 2024, Monterrey finished the regular season in fifth place with 31 points (9 wins, 4 draws, 4 losses), qualifying for the playoffs. In the final phase of the championship, the Rayados eliminated Pumas in the quarterfinals and Atlético de San Luis in the semifinals, but were ultimately defeated by Club América in the two-legged final (2-1, 1-1). The Torneo Clausura 2025 (January-May 2025) saw Monterrey's journey end in the quarterfinals. The Mexican team, which finished seventh in the regular season, was forced to go through the play-in round, where they were defeated by Pachuca. Monterrey then faced and eliminated Pumas in the first round before being definitively defeated by Toluca (who went on to win the tournament) in the quarter-finals.

Monterrey's journey in the CONCACAF Champions Cup 2025 also ended in the early stages of the tournament. They convincingly defeated Canadian side Forge in the first round, but the Mexicans were eliminated in the Round of 16 by the Vancouver Whitecaps due to the away goals rule (1-1 in Canada, 2-2 in Monterrey).

Monterrey's coach is Spanish manager Domènec Torrent, who recently took over the Rayados' bench, replacing former Argentine defender Martín Demichelis. Between 2007 and 2018, Torrent was part of Pep Guardiola's staff, working as an assistant with Barcelona B, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City. As a head coach, Torrent led New York City FC, Flamengo, and Galatasaray before arriving in Mexico with Atlético San Luis, where he spent the entire 2024/25 season. The match in Los Angeles against Inter will mark his official debut as Monterrey's head coach.

Monterrey boasts a talented squad with several players who have developed in Europe. The season's top scorer is Germán Berterame, with 22 goals in 41 appearances, followed by Sergio Canales, a former promising talent of Spanish football, with 18 goals in 42 matches. The squad also includes former Sevilla players Óliver Torres and Lucas Ocampos (who also played for AC Milan and Genoa). Mexican internationals like Héctor Moreno (a national team veteran) and the highly talented Jesús Corona, who played for Sevilla and Porto in Europe, are also part of the team. However, the undisputed star of the Mexican team is Sergio Ramos. The historic Real Madrid captain joined the Rayados last February and has since made 9 appearances and scored 4 goals across league and Champions Cup competitions.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS The match against Monterrey will also be an entirely new official fixture. The Mexican team, based in the city of the same name, qualified for the Club World Cup by winning the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2021. The Mexicans have participated in the previous Club World Cup five times. Their trophy cabinet includes five Mexican championships, the last of which was the Torneo Apertura in 2019, and five Champions Cup titles.

Monterrey and Inter have played each other once, but never in competitive football. Back in 1994, the two sides met in a tournament in which Inter and AC Milan took part together with the Rayados and Chivas de Guadalajara. The Tecate Cup was held in Mexico, in Monterrey and Guadalajara in May 1994, two weeks after the second leg of the UEFA Cup final won by Inter, the last competitive match of the season. In the two semi-finals the Milanese teams faced the Mexican teams: AC Milan were defeated on penalties by Chivas, while Inter got the better of Monterrey in the match played at the Estadio Tecnológico, the then home stadium of the Rayados. The team, with Gianpieri Marini at the helm, won 1-0 thanks to a goal by Igor Shalimov in the 65th minute. Here is the Inter line-up from that game: Zenga, Bergomi, Ferri, M. Paganin, A. Paganin, Battistini, Manicone, Russo, Shalimov, Barollo, Delvecchio. The Nerazzurri were then defeated 1-0 by Chivas in the final in Guadalajara.

URAWA RED DIAMONDS

The Japanese team from Saitama, the Urawa Red Diamonds, secured their spot in the Club World Cup by winning the AFC Champions League in 2022. They triumphed in the two-legged final against Al Hilal in May 2023 (1-1 and 1-0). The Urawa Red Diamonds have been crowned champions of Japan five times, though they've only won the J1 League, the professional league established in 1992, once (in 2006). They hold a record among Japanese clubs with three AFC Champions League titles. The Urawa Red Diamonds have participated in the previous Club World Cup format three times, most recently in the 2023/24 season when they were eliminated by Manchester City in the semifinals. In Japan, the league season runs from February to December. In the currently ongoing edition, the Urawa Red Diamonds sit in third position with 34 points after 21 matches played. They are six points behind Kashima Antlers, who also have two games in hand. In the 2024 league championship, won by Vissel Kobe, the Urawa Red Diamonds finished thirteenth with 48 points (12 wins, 12 draws, 14 losses). Following their continental victory against Al Hilal, the Japanese side competed in the AFC Champions League 2023/24. However, their journey ended in the group stage. In that edition, Urawa finished second in their group, which included Pohang Steelers (South Korea), Ha Noi (Vietnam), and Wuhan San Zhen (China), but they did not qualify as one of the best-ranked second-place teams in the competition. Since September 2024, the Urawa Red Diamonds have been managed by Polish coach Maciej Skorża. He arrived in Japan in 2023, where he first took the helm of the Urawa Red Diamonds and famously led them to victory in the AFC Champions League. Skorża's coaching career began in 2004, taking him through Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Japan. His impressive trophy cabinet includes four Polish championships (two with Wisła Kraków and two with Lech Poznań), three Polish Cups (one with Dyskobolia and two with Legia Warsaw), and one Polish Super Cup (Lech Poznań).

Currently, the top scorer for the Japanese side is attacking midfielder Ryoma Watanabe, who has bagged 6 goals in 17 appearances. The Brazilian forward Thiago, born in 1993, is another crucial player for the Saitama team. He was the Urawa Red Diamonds' leading scorer in the 2023/24 season, netting 13 goals in 38 matches. PREVIOUS MEETINGS There has only been one previous meeting between Inter and Urawa Red Diamonds, when the nerazzurri went on tour in Japan in 2004, as we took part in the Saitama City Cup, an international friendly tournament that was played in the city of Saitama. On that occasion, the nerazzurri took to the field with part of the team, as there was a friendly summer tournament between Inter, Juventus and Milan which saw other nerazzurri players involved.

Fernando Orsi led Inter in the match against Urawa Red Diamonds, the assistant to Roberto Mancini, who was involved in Italy with the other Inter side.

The match in Saitama was won 1-0 by the Urawa Red Diamonds. This was the Inter side that took on the Japanese side: Toldo (88' Bindi), Dellafiore, Adani, Giani, Coco (80' Visconti), Karagounis (87' Di. Marino), Farinos, Lamouchi, Zicu (46' Costanzo, 78' M. Lombardo), Recoba, Choutos (7' Meggiorini).