"Simply put, it would take 117 years for the highest-paid player in Auckland to earn Harry Kane's weekly salary."
Bayern Munich (Germany) defeated Auckland City (New Zealand) 10-0 in the group stage match of Group C at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup held at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, on the 16th (Korean time).
This tournament marked a strong start with double-digit scoring in a single match from the expanded Club World Cup.
Bayern adopted a 4-2-3-1 formation. Harry Kane played at the front, while Kingsley Coman, Thomas Müller, and Michael Olise played behind him. Aleksandar Pavlović and Joshua Kimmich filled the midfield, and Rafael Guerreiro, Josip Stanišić, and Jonathan Tah formed the back four. The goal was defended by Manuel Neuer.
Just five minutes into the match, Kingsley Coman scored the opening goal, and Bayern seized the momentum, scoring six goals in the first half. Sasha Boey (18 minutes), Michael Olise (20 minutes), Coman again (21 minutes), Thomas Müller (45 minutes), and Olise added another goal in stoppage time, bringing Auckland to its knees.
In the second half, substitute Jamal Musiala came on for Harry Kane and completed a hat trick from the 16th minute. Müller scored a second goal in the 44th minute, marking the 10th goal of the match. For Müller, it was his 250th career goal and a valuable result in his short-term return to the club.
The level difference was clear in every aspect, not just in performance. According to a report from the British 'BBC' on the 16th, Bayern's annual revenue is about 740.8 billion won, while Auckland City is around 907 million won.
Player salaries also couldn't be compared. Auckland players receive a weekly salary of about £66 (about 120,000 won), while Bayern's Harry Kane earns £400,000 (about 740 million won) per week. Simply put, it would take 117 years for the highest-paid player in Auckland to earn Kane's weekly salary.
Among the Auckland players who participated in the match are a primary school teacher, an insurance broker, a barber, a Coca-Cola salesman, a car dealer, and university students. Nathan Roebuck, a 22-year-old left-back, is expected to take his university exams in his hotel room during the tournament.
Auckland earned its spot in this tournament as the team with the best performance in the Oceania Champions League (OCL) from 2021 to 2024. It is also the absolute powerhouse in Oceania with a total of 13 OCL titles. However, the club world stage was clearly a different arena. Last year, they lost 6-2 to Al Ain (United Arab Emirates) in the qualifying round of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup and were defeated 3-0 by Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia in the 2023 Club World Cup, which had the last seven teams.
After the match, New Zealand media and fans expressed reactions of "not knowing if it's a dream or a nightmare." One fan participating in the BBC Sports live coverage commented, "It's not enjoyable to watch Bayern tearing apart part-timers. FIFA needs to face reality," while another fan criticized, "This game should have just been a preseason friendly. Is this really a tournament with a £100 million prize?"
In contrast, Auckland's interim head coach, Ivan Vrsaljko, accepted reality and encouraged his players. According to reports, he said, "We faced one of the best teams in the world. The result is harsh, but the players should be proud to stand on this stage at an amateur level."
In a post-match interview, when asked if he felt any sympathy for the opponent, Müller, who scored two goals, answered shortly, "No." It showed the harshness of professionalism.
Meanwhile, Bayern's coach, Vincent Kompany, noted, "We must remain humble, but it was important to take this tournament seriously from the start. The next match is against Argentina's traditional powerhouse, Boca Juniors. Even if I weren't the coach of Bayern, I would have definitely watched this game," emphasizing its significance.
Bayern, set to face the traditional powerhouse of Europe and South America, Boca Juniors, will play at 10 a.m. (Korean time) on the 21st in Miami, USA.
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