German giants Bayern Munich target Club World Cup crown

One of the teams with a chance of winning the Club World Cup is Bayern Munich. The Bavarian side boasts a renowned squad, including players of the calibre of Leroy Sane and Harry Kane, among others... The England striker is a natural goalscorer who has scored 38 goals this season and is set to add to his tally at the FIFA tournament.

The Bavarian giants go into this match in the United States with the conviction that they need to take that step forward to challenge for the title. Vincent Kompany's side have their eyes on this competition after winning the Bundesliga.

Consistency was a constant for a Bayern side that was eliminated in the Champions League quarter-finals and the last 16 of the DFB Pokal. Much more was expected, but the club had to settle for regaining the domestic championship throne. One attraction will be the farewell of Muller, who will play for the Germans for the last time.

The Bavarians, who secured their ticket to the Club World Cup after finishing third in the UEFA rankings for the 2020-2024 period, will have to contend with New Zealand Champions League winners Auckland City, Boca Juniors, who earned their place through their position in CONMEBOL's historical rankings, and Benfica, who qualified through UEFA's historical rankings.

The Belgian coach will miss Alphonso Davies, who suffered a cruciate fracture in March. Musiala, one of their star players, is suspended, as is Upamecano. They are likely to be on the bench for the first matchday so as not to force the issue, although the coach will have the final say.

Squad list

Players to watch

Harry Kane is one of Bayern's biggest names. The Englishman has a great ability to score and that has turned him into a goal machine. The striker has been the top scorer of the Bavarian team by far -38 goals in 46 games- and in the fight for the Golden Boot he is in fifth place. The striker, who already has the Bundesliga in his trophy cabinet, has ambitions to add the Club World Cup to his collection.

Another player worth mentioning is Jamal Musiala. The talented German player is without doubt the best player at the Allianz Arena. The playmaker, second in the goalscoring charts, has a huge influence on his team's attack. However, a muscle injury suffered at the beginning of April could complicate his participation at the start of the tournament.

Joshua Kimmich also has to be mentioned. The versatile German player, the metronome of the Germans, is indispensable in Vincent Kompany's scheme because he makes Bayern play. Without the player from Rotweil, the Bavarian team is not the same. Here are some of his statistics: 4,425 successful passes out of 4,814, 33 key passes out of 50 attempts, 40 recoveries in the final third for 236 in the opponent's half.

Coach

Vincent Kompany will be in charge of Bayern Munich at the Club World Cup. The Belgian arrived last summer after Thomas Tuchel's departure at the end of the 2023-24 season. The Uccle boss has only managed to lift the 2024-25 Bundesliga. He was eliminated by Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16 of the DFB Pokal and knocked out by Inter in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

His coaching career began six years ago. His first spell in the dugout was at Anderlecht, the team that forged him as a player, and he spent three seasons there before making the move to Burnley, who he promoted on his first attempt at the Premier League in 2022-23. However, the Clarets were relegated the following season.

Group stage fixtures

Matchday 1

Bayern will face Auckland City, the reigning OFC Champions League champions, on Sunday 15 June at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati. It will be an unprecedented match as they have never met before.

Matchday 2

On Saturday 21 June at the Hard Rock Stadium (Miami), the Bavarian side will host the historic Boca Juniors, whom they have only met once before. It was in the final of the Intercontinental Cup in 2001 and ended in a 1-0 Bavarian victory with a goal from Kuffour.

Matchday 3 

Kompany's side take on Benfica, a team they have faced 13 times, on Tuesday 24 June at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. The record is nothing short of devastating: 10 German victories to three draws.

Possible starting XI