FIFA Club World Cup: The stars who lit up the opening round of the tournament

The opening round of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup , where you can watch every match live on DAZN , saw numerous stand-out performances as European big guns Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain, Chelsea, Manchester City and Juventus flexed their muscles.

There were also notable victories for the likes of Botafogo, Flamengo, River Plate and Mamelodi Sundowns.

Here, DAZN News selects eight key performers from the opening round of fixtures.

Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)

Team-mate Jamal Musiala threatened to upstage him after coming on to score a second-half hat-trick, but Olise was the main man for Bayern Munich in their 10-0 win over Auckland City .

The France midfielder, bubbling with confidence after an outstanding debut season for Bayern, which saw him win the Bundesliga Rookie of the Year award with 12 goals and 15 assists, was at the heart of everything against the New Zealand part-timers.

London-born Olise cuts a laconic figure off the park but on it he goes from strength to strength, scoring twice against Auckland during the first half at TQL Stadium.

The ex-Crystal Palace star, 23, also weighed in with two first-half assists for Kingsley Coman and club legend Thomas Muller.

Olise was replaced by Vincent Kompany at half-time with Bayern 6-0 up and in total control.

For Olise, it was job done as he staked a claim to be the player of the round in just 45 minutes.

(Getty Images)

 

Vitinha (Paris St-Germain)

The 25-year-old midfielder enjoyed an outstanding game as the UEFA Champions League winners thumped Atletico Madrid 4-0 in front of 80,619 at the Rose Bowl.

The Portuguese international scored a brilliant second goal for Luis Enrique’s side, collecting possession 25 yards out and driving at the heart of the Atletico defence before drilling home a fierce low shot.

It was a reminder of Vitinha’s talent in a season which has seen him play a central role in PSG’s treble-winning campaign.

On American soil, he looks hungry for more silverware.

So too do his team-mates, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia weighing in with two assists, but Vitinha was undeniably PSG’s key performer – and not for the first time in a career-best campaign.

Getty Images

Igor Jesus (Botafogo)

The Brazilian striker scored what turned out to be the winning goal for Botafogo in their 2-1 victory over the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field.

Jesus has been tipped for for a summer switch to the Premier League with Nottingham Forest and team-mates Jair Cunha and Cuiabano.

And he showed why he is so highly rated by finding the net against Seattle with a brilliant header in the 44th minute.

Vitinho delivered a dangerous outswinging cross from the right flank and Jesus rose superbly to plant a firm header into the Sounders' net.

He led the line superbly before being replaced in the 86th minute as Botafogo survived a tense finale to record a vital opening win.

 

Pedro Neto (Chelsea)

Chelsea ground out a fairly comfortable 2-0 win over LAFC in their Group D opener on Monday.

Neto opened the scoring with a clinical near-post in the first half before new signing Liam Delap came on to create a second for Enzo Fernandez.

Debutant Delap caught the eye after replacing Nicolas Jackson but the stage was Neto's at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Portugal star, 25, played 90 minutes and racked up impressive stats of four chances created and 47 accurate passes from 51 ball distributions.

 

Sergio Ramos (Monterrey)

The veteran Monterrey captain , 39, opened the scoring in his side’s Group E opener against Inter Milan at the Rose Bowl.

Ramos, who won the competition four times with Real Madrid, powered an unstoppable header in from a corner in the 25th minute.

The match ended 1-1 after Inter, playing for the first time since being thumped 5-0 by PSG in the Champions League final, levelled just before the break through Lautaro Martinez.

But Ramos enjoyed a fine game as he bagged his fifth goal in his last ten outings for the Mexican club – stats a striker would be proud of.

 

 

Facundo Colidio (River Plate)

Colidio opened the scoring in River Plate’s 3-1 win over Urawa Red Diamonds in their Group E opener at Lumen Field.

It was a classic centre forward’s goal as Colidio arrived in the six-yard box to connect with Marcos Acuna’s delightful left-wing cross.

From there, River did not look back as they registered a comfortable victory.

Colidio, 25, enjoyed a fine game up front before taking a well-earned rest when being replaced in the 75th minute.

 

 

 

Phil Foden (Manchester City)

A goal and assist in Manchester City’s 2-0 Group G opening-win over Wydad Casablanca amounted to a very good night’s work for Foden.

City fans arrived at Lincoln Financial Field in their thousands and witnessed a masterclass from the England midfielder.

Foden fired home from 12 yards for a second-minute opener before his inswinging corner was dispatched by Jeremy Doku three minutes before half-time.

The 25-year-old had a difficult 2024-25 campaign, saying he had been carrying an ankle injury and struggling mentally.

But he showed some welcome signs of his old self against Wydad – and that clearly bodes well for City’s prospects of winning the Club World Cup again.

 

Randal Kolo Muani (Juventus)

The Serie A giants got their campaign off to the best possible start by defeating UAE side Al-Ain 5-0 in Washington .

French striker Kolo Muani caught the eye with two superb goals, first heading in an early opener before producing a sublime finish with the outside of his right foot for his second.

It was an impressive statement from the Bianconeri and nobody impressed more than 26-year-old Kolo Muani.

 

Watch all 63 matches of the 2025 Club World Cup live on DAZN.   More information and to sign up for a free account here.