After a season of broken dreams, Inter will look to reset under new management when the new expanded format of the FIFA Club World Cup kicks off in mid-June. Simone Inzaghi waved goodbye to San Siro after four successful years, with former Primavera coach and 2010 treble winner Cristian Chivu elected to fill the vacancy.

Inter’s 2024/25 season fizzled out toward the end as they went from a treble dream to their only trophyless campaign under Inzaghi in a month. Meanwhile, Chivu, who helped Parma secure Serie A survival in his first foray into senior management, has taken over the reins, looking to pick up a slack after a humiliating loss in the Champions League final.

Paris Saint-Germain humbled Inter 5-0 in Munich, denying Simone Inzaghi his crowning achievement in the Nerazzurri dugout. They now embark on a recovery mission, hoping to regain some pride and prove they have what it takes to compete with the world’s best. And there’s no better stage than this.

Paired with Monterrey, River Plate, and Urawa Red Diamonds in an exciting-looking Group E, Inter will kick things off on June 18 against the Mexican outfit. Without further ado, let’s look at all four participants.

Inter

League: Serie A
Head coach: Cristian Chivu

One of the most storied clubs in world football, Inter have a point to prove in North America this summer. It’s up to Cristian Chivu to help the team recover from a series of bad beats toward the end of 2024/25. In addition to a Champions League disaster, they lost the Scudetto to Napoli in a heartbreaking, albeit controversial fashion.

Despite all the downsides, the Serie A runners-up remain among the leading contenders to lift the title they last lifted in 2010. It was also their only previous participation in this tournament, though in a quite different format. Fast forward 15 years, Inter can add to their glittering trophy cabinet and potentially set the tone for Chivu’s regime.

Heavily fancied to clinch the top spot in this group, Inter will face three sides they’ve never met before under a relatively inexperienced manager, making this a fascinating test of character and quality. For the Nerazzurri faithful, this could be an insight into things to come under Chivu, who must be keen to get his tenure off to a flyer.

Star player: Lautaro Martinez

After ranking first in many categories in Serie A in 2023/24, Lautaro Martinez had a topsy-turvy 2024/25 season, often failing to meet expectations in the domestic champions. However, he led by example in Europe, equaling Hernan Crespo’s record for the most goals scored by an Inter player in one Champions League campaign.

Potential starting line-up (3-5-2): Sommer; Bastoni, Acerbi, Pavard; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Lautaro.

Monterrey CF

League: Liga MX
Head coach: Domenec Torrent

Liga MX has taken a long stop to accommodate several summer tournaments held in North America, including the upcoming Club World Cup. Alongside Pachuca, Monterrey are one of Mexico’s two representatives in the most highly anticipated event this summer despite an ongoing title drought.

Domenec Torrent’s men have been on a barren run since winning their fifth CONCACAF Champions League title in 2021. However, with several international stars on their roster, they deserve the benefit of the doubt. Ex-La Liga stars Sergio Canales and Oliver Torres bring a wealth of experience and creativity to the midfield.

Yet, Monterrey’s star power doesn’t end there. Former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos is in for probably his last dance on the international stage as the Mexicans seek redemption for a Clausura quarter-final exit at the hands of Toluca in early May.

Star player: Sergio Ramos

With all due respect to Canales’ undeniable talent and his long-term career at Estadio BBVA, this should be Ramos’ show. Monterrey will need a serial winner with a very specific mindset to navigate this highly competitive group. There’s no better person to lead them through than the four-time Club World Cup winner.

Potential starting line-up (4-2-3-1): Andrada; Arteaga, Sergio Ramos, Rodriguez, Chavez; Medina, Deossa; Ocampos, Canales, Torres; Berterame.

River Plate

League: Liga Profesional de Fútbol
Head coach: Marcelo Gallardo

Considered among the best teams in all of South America, River Plate’s international resume makes them a legitimate threat to Europe’s heavy hitters in this brand-new competition. Indeed, they’re among the most accomplished clubs in the world, racking up 54 domestic titles and 12 international honors.

The last league campaign was lackluster for River Plate as they had to settle for a disappointing fifth-place finish. However, they can always count on Marcelo Gallardo to inspire them to unimaginable heights. One of the most iconic figures at the Mâs Monumental Stadium, Gallardo has won two Copa Libertadores titles with the club.

Furthermore, he led them to a runner-up finish in the 2015 Club World Cup, losing 3-0 to Lionel Messi’s Barcelona in the title-deciding fixture. Messi’s potential successor in the national team could be playing his final tournament for River Plate. You know the name. It’s ex-Inter transfer target, Franco Mastantuono.

Star player: Franco Mastantuono

Mastantuono is a generational talent, with half of Europe vying for his signature. At only 17, he’s arguably the most talented forward in world football alongside Barcelona whizz-kid Lamine Yamal. The one difference is that he has yet to prove himself on the grandest stage, and this could be an ideal opportunity.

Potential starting line-up (4-3-3): Armani; Bustos, Pezzella, Martinez Quarta, Acuna; Castano, Perez, Fernandez; Mastantuono, Colidio, Driussi.

Urawa Red Diamonds

League: J1 League
Head coach: Maciej Skorza

Urawa Reds may not be among the flashiest names on the list, but they don’t lack a competitive spirit by any stretch of the imagination. Despite only winning one J1 League title, the Red Devils have won three AFC Champions Leagues, most recently in 2022, which earned them qualification for this tournament.

Unlike their rivals, Maciej Skorza’s side must rely on team cohesion to make up for a lack of superstar presence in the squad. Nonetheless, Inter and others would be naive to confuse Urawa for random participants as they aim to showcase AFC’s competitiveness on the global stage.

Skorza may turn to three Brazilians in the squad to give Urawa a competitive edge against far more esteemed opponents. Vice-captain Marius Høibråten must bring his A-game to the table, given that the Japanese will likely have plenty of defending to do in North America.

Star player: Marius Høibråten

Høibråten has become an influential figure in Japanese football since swapping Bodo/Glimt for Urawa in 2023, making over 80 league appearances for the Red Devils en route to winning the armband. Skorza will probably put his fate into the 30-year-old’s hands.

Potential starting line-up (4-2-3-1): Nishikawa; Ogiwara, Høibråten, Danilo Boza, Ishihara; Yasui, Gustafson; Kaneko, Watanabe, Matheus Savio; Matsuo.

Prediction

Group winner: Inter Milan
Second-place finisher: River Plate

Recent setbacks aside, this should be a walk in the park for Inter. Chivu’s men should stroll to the top spot in this group, perhaps with maximum points. Indeed, others can hardly handle their firepower and strength in depth.

Therefore, a battle for the runner-up spot will likely unfold between River Plate and Monterrey, with the Argentine giants slightly edging the odds thanks to their experience on the continental stage. While Urawa Reds are no pushovers, they may find the competition a step too high.