Atlético Madrid gave their fans a rare photo op this week when the FIFA Club World Cup trophy showed up at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. The gleaming hardware made its way pitchside before a match, giving players and supporters alike a chance to get up close with the prize they’ll be competing for this summer.
The trophy’s visit was part of FIFA’s global tour promoting the expanded Club World Cup, a revamped 32-team tournament set to take place in the United States from June through July 2025. For Atlético, it was more than a marketing exercise. It was a preview of what they’re playing for in what will be the club’s first appearance in the modern format of the competition.
A trophy on tour
The Riyadh Air Metropolitano was the second stop on the trophy’s international journey, following earlier appearances in cities like New York and Lisbon. FIFA has been shuttling the cup around in a glass-panelled van, making it visible to as many eyeballs as possible before the tournament kicks off.
The trophy arrived in Madrid on January 22 and stayed through January 23, 2025. During that window, it wasn’t just parked in a VIP lounge somewhere.
The club organized a pitch display where fans could snap photos with it. Beyond the stadium, the trophy also made stops at local sports centers, where roughly 300 youth players from Atlético’s academy system got their own chance to see it up close.
There was also a public appearance at Atlético’s Gran Vía store in central Madrid.
Atlético’s Club World Cup journey
This isn’t entirely uncharted territory for the club’s relationship with World Cup silverware. Back in August 2018, Atlético players posed with the senior FIFA World Cup trophy before a La Liga match, a nod to the French and other national team players on the roster who had lifted it that summer.
Atlético qualified for the tournament and were drawn into a group that includes Paris Saint-Germain and Seattle Sounders, among others.
The club finished the group stage with two wins and one loss, collecting six points while scoring four goals and conceding five.
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