🌎 Club World Cup Group A: Can Messi's Inter Miami hold their own? | OneFootball

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup gets under way in the United States today.

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We will be providing you with a complete guide to all eight groups at the tournament, beginning today with Group A.

Who is in Group A?

The favourites

📸 NELSON ALMEIDA - AFP or licensors

This looks like one of the tournament's most evenly matched groups on paper, but Palmeiras should just about be considered the strongest team in it.

The Verdão have made a solid start to the Brazilian Série season and will be hoping to go far at the Club World Cup, with teen sensation Estêvão and one-time Barcelona striker Vitor Roque likely to be their danger men.

What's the key game?

Palmeiras begin their tournament when they take on Porto at the MetLife Stadium, New Jersey on June 15, and it's a match which should set the tone for both teams' tournaments.

UEFA Champions League regulars Porto finished third in the Portuguese Primeira Liga this season and will want to give a good account of themselves at the Club World Cup.

The winner of this match would likely take control of Group A right from the off.

Can you give me a player to watch from each team?

Emam Ashour (Al Ahly)

📸 MOHAMED TAGELDIN

The 27-year-old striker has been pivotal in Al Ahly's recent successes, netting 11 goals and providing seven assists in 2025.

Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)

📸 Isaiah Vazquez - 2025 Getty Images

The standout player at Inter Miami and probably the greatest in the history of the game. This is likely to be Messi's one and only chance of lifting this brand new trophy.

Maurício (Palmeiras)

📸 Miguel Schincariol - 2025 Getty Images

The 23-year-old midfielder only joined last year but has already proven himself to be indispensable for the Brazilian giants.

Samu Aghehowa (Porto)

📸 Octavio Passos - 2024 Getty Images

Signed from Atlético de Madrid last summer, Aghehowa impressed for the Portuguese side from the off this term with 19 goals in 30 league appearances.

And the big storyline?

As the only team to have qualified for the Club World Cup by invitation, it will be interesting to see how Inter Miami fare in competitive matches against elite clubs from around the world.

The Herons won the MLS Supporters' Shield in 2024 but have made a slow start to the 2025 season, and it feels like their performance at the Club World Cup will be indicative of where MLS as a league currently stands on the global scale.

But with Messi in your team, anything is possible, and Javier Mascherano's side should be fascinating to watch this summer.

Prediction

📸 Rich Storry - 2025 Getty Images