Tuesday, July 1

Following Manchester City and Inter Milan's early exits from the Club World Cup to non-European opponents, Sports Mole looks into whether football on the continent is slightly overrated, compared to that across the globe.

On a day of shocks at the Club World Cup, European heavyweights Manchester City and Inter Milan both suffered surprising exits from the tournament at the hands of opponents from outside Europe.

In the biggest upset of the competition so far, Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal beat Man City 4-3 after extra time in their last-16 tie last night.

Just a few hours earlier, Champions League finalists Inter Milan were eliminated by Brazilian giants Fluminense too, going down 2-0 following a feeble performance from the Nerazzurri.

This is now potentially raising the question: is European football overrated, in comparison to the game across the globe? Sports Mole takes a look into that query here.

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Do Europeans underestimate South American clubs?

There is no doubt that South American football is underrated in Europe, mostly due to a lack of exposure, with football in that part of the world not available to most people to watch.

Many of the players turning out for top Brazilian and Argentinian clubs in particular are of the level required to play at the very highest level, but factors such as acclimatisation to life in Europe, or preferring to stay at home means a fair few never make the move, or return shortly after signing for a club in Europe.

Flamengo also gave Bayern Munich a close game on Sunday, and their side included numerous Brazil internationals, as well as Erick Pulgar and Jorginho, who enjoyed long careers in Europe, and Giorgian De Arrascaeta, who is arguably the best active player in South America never to make the move to Europe.

Fluminense are a more modest outfit, but still boast former Brazil captain Thiago Silva at the back, and they proved the collective is greater than the sum of its parts when beating an Inter side full of superstars on Monday.

Argentina’s representatives Boca Juniors and River Plate may have flattered to deceive, but they still put in competitive performances against some of Europe’s best during the group stage, and there is no question they would not look out of place playing in the Champions League.

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Is Al-Hilal’s success a surprise?

Al-Hilal have pulled off the biggest shock of the Club World Cup so far, beating second-favourites Man City 4-3 in a thriller on Monday night, but it should not be as surprising as many are portraying it, given their expensively-assembled squad.

The Saudi club enjoyed a 34-game winning streak which came to an end in April 2024, and they have continued to add to their squad, while also bringing in Simone Inzaghi as their manager.

Saudi and Asian football offers little challenge to Al-Hilal, so this competition is now giving them the opportunity to showcase what level they are capable of, and this win over Man City will do wonders for the PIF, whose money has made this all possible.

With Bono in goal, Kalidou Koulibaly, Joao Cancelo and Renan Lodi at the back, Ruben Neves pulling the strings, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic providing power and finesse in midfield and Aleksandar Mitrovic, Malcom and Marcos Leonardo in attack, that is a team that would not look out of place at the top of end of European football, so it is no surprise that they have caused an upset, and also drew with Real Madrid in the group stages.

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Is the Club World Cup providing a fair reflection of European sides?

However, it is important to recognise, as many feared before the tournament started, that European clubs are not placing this as their top priority, unlike most clubs from around the world.

It does feel more like preparation for next season as opposed to a competition where all of the European big guns are going hell for leather to win, as the Club World Cup, despite its obscene prize money, does not carry as much prestige as a league title or the Champions League.

Inter in particular are in a transitional period at present following the exit of manager Inzaghi, and there are talks that their familiar, but aging, XI could start being replaced next season under Cristian Chivu.

Man City are also coming off the back of a long and poor campaign, with many new faces being integrated into the squad, but that will not excuse a last-16 exit from a tournament they were fancied to win.

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Conclusion:

To conclude, there is no doubt that Europe is the place to be, and will remain the centre of the football universe for years to come, with the biggest clubs, the biggest competitions and the most money, and to call it overrated would be harsh, but respect is due for clubs in South America and Asia.

It can be argued Europe’s best clubs are not even here, because league winners Barcelona, Liverpool and Napoli did not qualify, but Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain have been impressive for the most part, and will continue to fly the European flag.

In the case of Al-Hilal, it should come as no surprise that they were able to pull off such a result, given the vast riches at their disposal, which have made them an unstoppable force in Asian football, and they have certainly grabbed the attention of the footballing world now, putting the Saudi Pro League on the map for more of the right reasons.

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