Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has dropped a bombshell, saying Los Blancos will “boycott” playing in FIFA’s expanded summer Club World Cup next season.
The Italian tactician led the Galacticos to a league and Champions League double this past campaign, as they claimed the Spanish LALIGA title with 10 points off second-placed Barcelona before Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Jnr’s late strikes earned them an unprecedented 15 UCL trophy.
With 32 teams from across the globe soon to be qualified to partake in the extended Club World Cup, which is set to take place in the United States at the end of next season, Ancelotti, 65, accused FIFA of undervaluing teams, and also believes that other teams will jump on the bandwagon in refusing the football governing body’s offer.
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“FIFA forgets that player and teams will not participate in the new Club World Cup,” Ancelotti told Il Giornale.
“A single Real Madrid match is worth €20 million and FIFA wants to give us that amount for the entire tournament. Negative. Like us, other clubs will refuse the invitation.”
Following Los Blancos’ triumph over Borussia Dortmund in the final, Ancelotti became the most successful manager in Champions League history, having won the trophy a record five times.
The 2024/25 LALIGA season promises to be an interesting one for Madrid following the acquisition of France captain Kylian Mbappe and Brazil wonderkid Endrick who will add more firepower to an already deadly attacking force.
UPDATE:
Real Madrid have since come out and backtracked from Ancelotti’s statement, confirming they will take part in the extending Club World Cup.
