In The End, Auckland City’s FIFA Club World Cup Involvement Came Good

Back home in New Zealand, Christian Gray will soon be sharing something special with his students. They may even already know.

As he and his Auckland City teammates approached their final Group C encounter with Boca Juniors at FIFA’s Club World Cup in the United States on Tuesday, they would have feared the worst. Already eliminated from the tournament, Auckland, a semi-professional team, had let in 10 (ten) goals against Bayern Munich and six against Benfica.

Meanwhile, Boca’s hopes of qualification from the group hung in the balance; it required a Bayern victory in the other game and a goal rush, a possibility against the underdog, whose players work full-time jobs or study outside of soccer. As it happened, neither transpired.

Not only that, Auckland produced one of the shocks of the competition—a highlight from a group stage that has seen Botofogo defeat Paris Saint-Germain and Flamengo upend Chelsea. Trailing in the second half, a corner arrived, and trainee teacher Gray nodded in a precious goal, which ultimately earned a point against a giant of South American soccer, one that has lifted the Copa Libertadores trophy six times and previously boasted the talents of legendary Diego Maradona. Despite Boca knowing elimination loomed large, it was impressive.

Standing Proud

Auckland City’s players’ market values are in the thousands of dollars, far adrift of the million-dollar mark—this in a tournament where the finest soccer talents are worth around nine figures in the transfer market. Their professions range from sales representatives to community coaches, and Auckland’s winnings of roughly €4 million ($4.5 million) from the Club World Cup—peanuts to elite clubs—is a fortune for an entity and federation not used to dealing in such sums.

The side qualified for the event as a top performer in its region. Had professional outfits from Australia been competing in the OFC Champions League—for clubs from Oceania—rather than with Asia’s finest in the AFC Champions League, one of them might have made the Club World Cup in Auckland’s place. “Oceania’s club football is deeply rooted in local communities, similar to Europe, although most clubs remain amateur,” the Auckland City general manager, Gordon Watson, told me before the U.S. adventure. “We recognise the challenges, particularly around resources, but our key strength lies in our people.”

FIFA’s transformed competition is now heating up. The knockout stages see an all-Brazilian contest between Botofogo and Palmeiras, European matchups Benfica versus Chelsea and Real Madrid against Juventus, Flamengo’s samba flair against Bayern Munich’s precision, and Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi facing ex-employer Paris Saint-Germain. Inter Milan vs. Fluminense, Manchester City vs. Al-Hilal, and Borussia Dortmund vs. Monterrey complete an intriguing set.

Meanwhile, Auckland City, not to be confused with Auckland FC, is switching focus to games in the country’s more modest regional leagues. It’s a name that, for all its local identity, has taken on all comers around the globe and achieved a third-place finish at the Club World Cup in 2014. Now, after exiting the latest installment with the memory of a famous goal and result, which its outfield players could barely believe, it can consider the experience a success. FIFA’s controversial Club World Cup is a work in progress. At least Auckland City’s ride ended well.