FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group E Preview – Is Inter Milan Ripe for an Upset?

• League: Serie A (Italy)
• Head Coach: Cristian Chivu
• Key Players: Lautaro Martinez, Marcus Thuram, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Alessandro Bastoni, Yann Sommer

Inter Milan had a great season, but the finale could have been so much better! They finished second to Napoli in Serie A, just one season after winning the title, and got hammered 5-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final.

The first thoughts of the Coach following his Nerazzurri return 🎙️⚫🔵#ForzaInter #WelcomeCristian

— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter_en) June 9, 2025

Manager Simeone Inzaghi left the club on June 3 for Al-Hilal, who in Group H of this competition. Cristian Chivu replaced Inzaghi on June 9. The Romanian helped Parma avoid relegation before returning to Inter, where he played 115 games. Chivu also coached through the ranks of the Inter youth teams.

The players will be familiar with Chivu, who has a lot of talent to work with. Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram are a fearsome strike pairing, combining for 40 goals. Hakan Çalhanoğlu pulls the strings in midfield, while Alessandro Bastoni is the leader of a terrific defense. Yann Sommer is also one of the best goalkeepers in Europe.

Don’t let the Champions League final loss to PSG fool you. It was a bad time to have your worst game of the season. But this Inter Milan team is a strong side.

Chivu probably won’t rock the boat too much in terms of tactics for the team. He also played three defenders at the back with Parma as well. Inter is the best team in this group, so Chivu might try some new concepts in games against Urawa and Monterrey.

I am slightly concerned about how Inter bounces back from their disappointing end to the campaign. They have a chance to win this competition, and their Club World Cup odds to win it all are +1200. Inter also won this tournament back in 2010. According to the FIFA Club World Cup Group E odds, Inter should win it handily. But will they?

• League: Primera División (Argentina)
• Head Coach: Marcelo Gallardo
• Key Players: Franco Mastantuono, Ignacio Fernandez, Miguel Borja, Franco Armano

River Plate has the best CONMEBOL ranking over the last four years, which is how they got into this tournament. They finished sixth in the Primera División in Argentina last season, and are second in Zone B of the division through 16 games.

This is River Plate. 🤍❤️🤍@FIFACWC, here we go! 🔜🏆 pic.twitter.com/rXeuylZUip

— River Plate Global (@GlobalCARP) June 12, 2025

17-year-old Franco Mastantuono leads the club with seven goals so far this season, and recently became the youngest player in Argentina national team history. Mastantuono brings a spark to the River Plate attack, and is joined by Miguel Borja up front. Ignacio Fernandez is their midfield playmaker. Their fullbacks, Marcos Acuña and Gonzalo Montiel, will be familiar to fans of La Liga as they played in Sevilla.

Keeper Franco Armani brings plenty of experience at 38 years old, and River Plate has experience at center back with German Pezzella and Lucas Martinez Quarta. The Argentine side is a very good team, and if Inter Milan isn’t careful, River Plate could steal Group E when they meet in the final group match on June 25 in Seattle! If you think they can do it, River Plate’s Club World Cup Group E odds make a lot of sense for a wager!

• League: J1 League (Japan)
• Head Coach: Maciej Skorza
• Key Players: Ryoma Watanabe, Mateus Savio, Kaito Yasui, Shusaku Nishikawa

Urawa won the 2022 AFC Champions League to qualify for the Club World Cup, and they’re trying to bounce back from a 13^th-place finish in the J1 League in 2024. They’re off to a good start as Urawa are third in the table through 21 games this season.

Morning walk 🚶🚶🚶#FIFACWC #FIFACWC浦和カメラ#UrawaRedDiamonds #urawareds #浦和レッズ#WeareREDS #WeareDiamonds #世界で赤い輝きを pic.twitter.com/ZGzkNfooub

— 浦和レッズオフィシャル (@REDSOFFICIAL) June 10, 2025

The Red Diamonds could be a fun team to watch. Ryoma Watanabe has six goals in the J1 League so far, and is a box-to-box midfielder. Kaito Yasui is more of an attacking midfielder, while Brazilian Matheus Savio can play behind the striker or out wide. 38-year-old keeper Shuasku Nishikawa has been the team’s #1 in goal since 2014, and Urawa will need him as they’re shaky in defense.

Urawa is a team that likes to press high, which might bite them against Inter and River Plate, and even Monterrey. Manager Maciej Skorza has been with the team since 2023, and he might want to reign in his aggressive tactics.

However, their Club World Cup Group E odds of +1600 are a little short of what I figured they would be. I think Urawa and Monterrey could be swapped as the Mexican league is stronger, in my opinion.

• League: Liga MX
• Head Coach: Domenec Torrent
• Key Players: German Bertarame, Jesus Corona, Sergio Canales, Sergio Ramos

Monterrey qualified via their 2021 CONCACAF Champions League victory, and they fell 2-1 to Toluca in the quarterfinals of the Liga MX playoffs last month.

Our squad for the @FIFACWC 🇺🇸#MonterreyAnteElMundo | #TakeItToTheWorld

— Rayados English (@WeAreRayados) June 12, 2025

Monterrey were one of the teams that were in for Cristiano Ronaldo, hoping to use his friendship with Sergio Ramos to entice the superstar. Ronaldo isn’t coming, but Ramos is there after a free transfer in February. The 39-year-old will bring loads of experience to the side, and some grit. Germane Bertarame is their top striker, while Sergio Canales and Jesus Corona are behind him in midfield.

Esteban Andrada is the #1 keeper, but outside of Ramos, there is a rotating cast of defenders. There has also been a carousel of managers as Domenec Torrent just took over for Martín Demichelis on May 21. Demichelis was there from August 2024 to May 2025. Before him, Fernando Ortiz was the man in charge from May 2023 to August 2024.

This could unsettle the team, and while Monterrey has talent, I’ll doubt that they get out of the group. I wouldn’t consider their Club World Cup Group E odds to win the group.