The global tournament gets underway in the United States this weekend, and a host of familiar faces will be showcasing their skills

The European football season has now ended, but there will still be a feast of big matches for fans to enjoy this summer as attention shifts to the expanded Club World Cup. Previously a seven-team competition, the new edition features 32 teams from football's six confederations split into eight groups of four, with the top two advancing to the last 16, which begins a straight knockout format through to the final.

To add even greater weight, the Club World Cup will now be played once every four years instead of annually, with the winners set to receive a staggering $125 million (£92m) cash prize. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has even claimed the event "will be the pinnacle of elite professional men’s club football", and with the United States serving as the first hosts of the rebooted tournament, it should be quite the spectacle.

There will certainly be no shortage of talent on show, with Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain competing for more glory alongside the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Inter and Juventus. Many former stars of European football will also be strutting their stuff, and GOAL has ranked the top 10 to watch ahead of kick-off on June 14…

Getty1Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)

This will be Inter Miami's first appearance on the world stage, and in Lionel Messi, they have the best possible leader for the occasion. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner will turn 38 during the tournament, but he remains a footballing alien who makes everything on the pitch look effortless, and Miami have become heavily reliant on his genius.

Indeed, Messi has racked up 15 goal involvements in just 13 MLS appearances during the 2025 season to date, with his latest masterclass coming in a 5-1 demolition of the Columbus Crew. "He is the best player to ever play this sport, we try to help in every way we can," Inter Miami boss Javier Mascherano, who played alongside Messi at Barcelona and with the Argentina national team, said after the game.

For all their faults as a collective, Miami have a chance in any game because of Messi's presence. His ability to elegantly dance around defenders, deliver a killer pass out of nowhere, or curl a long-range free-kick into the top corner hasn't dwindled, and he will be out to remind the world he's still very capable of making a decisive impact at the highest level.

AdvertisementGetty Images2Luis Suarez (Inter Miami)

Messi is also fortunate enough to have the perfect partner in crime: former Barcelona and Liverpool sharpshooter Luis Suarez. The two men built up a telepathic understanding during their time together at Camp Nou and have rekindled that spark in Florida, despite Suarez's ongoing battle with osteoarthritis in his right knee.

That issue has adversely affected Suarez's mobility on the pitch, but his instincts in the final third are still as sharp as ever, as ilustrated by his 33 goals in 58 games for Miami. That being said, Suarez is not expected to be the the team's main source of goals; the 38-year-old is now more focused on bringing others into play and drawing defenders out of position than just finishing off chances.

His minutes will likely be managed carefully if Mascherano's side enjoy a run to the knockouts, but Suarez only needs one moment to make the difference. The Uruguayan can also bounce off Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, who complete Miami's contingent of Barcelona legends.

Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream nowGetty Images3Thiago Silva (Fluminense)

Thiago Silva helped steer Fluminense away from relegation peril in his first season back at his boyhood club, and they are now fighting at the top end of the Brazilian Serie A table in no small part thanks to his defensive acumen and strength of character. Despite being just three months away from his 41st birthday, Thiago Silva has lost none of the exceptional powers of anticipation that made him one of the finest centre-backs in Europe, while he also still plays a key role in building attacks with his assured passing.

The former AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea star is taking the Club World Cup very seriously, too, as he told last week: "It never crossed my mind I would have the opportunity to play in one of the most important competitions in the club’s history. The responsibility is huge, wearing this shirt again, after having made history in Europe. What I want the most at this stage of my career is to win a title with this shirt."

That is not a completely unrealistic goal, given that Fluminense have been drawn in a favourable group alongside Borussia Dortmund, Mamelodi Sundowns and Ulsan. Thiago Silva will certainly provide a solid foundation at the back, and his vast experience will be invaluable if they make it through to the latter stages.

AFP4Sergio Ramos (Monterrey)

Sergio Ramos was a pivotal figure in the most successful period in Real Madrid's entire history, winning 22 trophies across 16 seasons. That incredible haul includes four Club World Cups, and the former Spain international will believe he can add another to his collection after signing for Mexican outfit Monterrey in February.

Nobody is expecting Monterrey to pull up any trees in the U.S. given they are currently seventh in the Liga MX table, but Ramos is one of the fiercest competitors the game has ever seen, and he will make sure to transfer that attitude to his new team-mates – including former Sevilla and Marseille forward Lucas Ocampos.

Monterrey have enough quality to spring one or two upsets with Ramos contributing at both ends of the pitch. The 39-year-old is still an elite goal-scoring defender, with three to his name in eight Liga MX appearances already, and will be a major threat from set-pieces as Monterrey come up against Inter, River Plate, and Urawa Reds in the group stage.