The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be filled with some of the best players in the world. European giants like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG, Man City and Chelsea are in the field, and with that comes a lot of start-studded talent. Below I will break down some of the biggest names, and what to expect from them this summer.
Lionel Messi
Until he retires, Messi will always be the biggest name in any tournament he plays in. Even at 37 years old, you can still expect big things from him this summer. We are only a year removed from him performing well in the Copa America, and only three years removed from that famous World Cup run. Now, he won’t have an Argentina jersey on this time, and this is a team sport, but Messi can still make a difference in any game. Especially when the stakes are highest. He has 10 goals and five assists in 13 matches for Inter Miami this season. Yes, it’s the MLS. But Messi is still a man amongst boys in that competition. The opposition should be even tougher in this tournament, but Messi can still prove to be the difference. He’s an outsider to win the Golden Boot on DraftKings Sportsbook at (+2500) odds. You would figure a lot of that has to do with the team he’s on, and the oddsmakers doubting how Inter Miami will do collectively. Look for him to lead Inter Miami out of the group stage and into the Round of 16.
Kylian Mbappe
Next up is Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe. The 26-year-old is coming off a season with 31 league goals. Not bad for his first season in the famous white shirt. While individually he performed well, the team did not collect any domestic silverware and failed to defend their Champions League title. This tournament comes as a chance to get Real Madrid back on their perch, as the best team in the world. There is a reason that Mbappe is the favorite to lead the tournament in goals at (+500) odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. His team are also favorites to win the tournament (+400), and for good reason. With teammates like Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, Real Madrid has everything they need to win the tournament and put on a show while doing so. After seeing his former club PSG win the Champions League in their first season without him, I expect Kylian to come out trying to prove a point this summer and lead his team to the silverware.
Erling Haaland
There is really not much to say about Erling Haaland. All he does is score goals when he plays, and that’s exactly what I expect to continue when he suits up this summer. Man City has a good enough team to make a deep run in this competition and is looked at as one of the favorites. A big reason why is because of the man they have playing up top. People call Haaland a robot because all he does is score. In his three Premier League seasons, the Norwegian has already scored 85 goals, averaging just over 28 per season. He is hands down the best #9 on the planet, and if he gets the service required from his teammates he’s a sure bet to convert. Haaland is (+600) to finish as the tournament’s top scorer on DraftKings Sportsbook, and to me, those are great odds. He’s on a team that should go far into the knockout stages, and he’s the focal point of the attack. Expect Haaland to put the ball in the back of the net as per usual.
