Carlo Ancelotti, the esteemed coach of Real Madrid, has clarified his position regarding the team’s participation in the forthcoming Club World Cup.
Despite reports to the contrary, Ancelotti emphasized that his earlier comments were misconstrued and that he fully supports Real Madrid’s involvement in the tournament.
“In my interview with Il Giornale, my words about the FIFA Club World Cup have not been interpreted in the way I intended,” he posted on X.
“Nothing could be further from my interest than to reject the possibility of playing in a tournament that I consider to be a great opportunity to continue fighting for great titles with Real Madrid.”
Contrary to the claims that Ancelotti had suggested a boycott of the tournament due to financial disagreements—specifically, the valuation of a single Real Madrid match at 20 million euros versus FIFA’s proposed sum for the entire cup—the coach has expressed no such intention.
Real Madrid, the reigning La Liga champions and holders of a record 15th European Cup and Champions League title, have also officially stated their intent to compete in the next season’s Club World Cup.
“Real Madrid C. F. would like to announce that at no time has there been any question regarding our participation in the new Club World Cup to be organised by FIFA in the coming 2024/2025 season,” the club said in a statement on its website.
“Our club will therefore take part, as planned, in this official competition and we are proud and excited to be involved in it and we will once again inspire our millions of fans all over the world with another trophy.”
The upcoming Club World Cup, set to feature an expanded roster of 32 teams, is slated for next summer.
This addition to the football calendar has raised concerns about the potential strain on players, with the Professional Footballers’ Association in England cautioning that such pressures could lead to player strikes.
