If the Club World Cup is supposed to represent the best in world football, the biggest teams on the planet slugging it out for global bragging rights then Gianni Infantino needs to go back to the drawing board, and quickly.
This was an utterly pointless exercise as one team of expensively assembled international footballers annihilated a collection of teachers, students and estate agents.
It barely recognised a football match; it certainly wasn’t a contest.
Bayern score 10
For the record, Bayern Munich won 10-0 to get their tournament off to a flying start but it was always going to be this way.
Despite being Oceanic Champions League holders, Auckland City are a part-time outfit. They should carry no shame for their performance – they did their best in warm conditions in Cincinnati – but this was an inevitable mis-match for which Infantino and his fellow FIFA suits should carry the can.
Auckland could barely get out of their half as wave after wave of attacks rained down on their goal.
The onslaught started from the fourth minute, Kingsley Coman drawing a fine save from Auckland goalkeeper Conor Tracey.
From the resulting Joshua Kimmich corner, debutant Jonathan Tah nodded the ball back across goal where Coman was on hand to head past Tracey.
Coman, not normally associated with aerial excellence, played a key role in the second as well, nodding Kimmich’s chipped pass down for Sacha Boey to fire home.
It was 3-0 after 19 minutes. Thomas Muller cleverly found space down the left side of the area and, although his low cross was missed by Harry Kane, Michael Olise was on hand to fire home at the far post.
The game was done.
We put on a show in Cincinnati! 🤩#FCBACFC #FIFACWC #FCBayern #MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/LURX3HISaL
— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) June 15, 2025
Goals flow in first-half
Attack versus defence continued for the remainder of a game with Bayern impressively maintaining their high press and energy without any semblance of sympathy for their woefully outgunned opponents.
Coman made it 4-0 with a low shot and Olise provided the fifth for Muller to volley home.
Olise curled in the best goal of a dismally one-sided first half in stoppage time.
That was the France international’s final act as he and Les Bleus team-mate Coman were withdrawn and replaced by Serge Gnabry and 17-year-old Lennart Karl.
Auckland won their first corner after 50 minutes but it was brief respite as Bayern came again with Karl’s wicked header flashing wide of the upright.
Gnabry also threatened with a curling effort that was well saved by the overworked Tracey.
Miserable afternoon for Harry Kane
The hour mark saw Kane – who mustered just 13 touches of the ball despite his side’s dominance – and Raphael Guerreiro depart with Dayot Upamecano and Jamal Musiala coming on. Musiala almost scored with his first touch, heading over when well placed.
The Germany international did get his name on the scoresheet after 67 minutes, however, with a lovely curling effort from the edge of the box that had too much power on it for Tracey to keep out.
David Yoo threatened briefly at the other end but normal service was swiftly resumed, Musiala winning a penalty that he dispatched with ease for Bayern’s eighth.
Musiala completed his hat-trick after capitalising on some tired defending from an Auckland backline that spent the 90 minutes shuffling from side to side trying to minimise the damage.
And there was still time for Muller to net his 250th goal – and his side’s 10th of the afternoon – for Bayern before he signs off.
Gnabry provided the cross for the veteran midfielder and he made no mistake on the volley.
