Club World Cup Preview: Juventus

In partnership with

Hooligan Soccer

·13 giugno 2025

Club World Cup Preview: Juventus

The twenty-seventh in our continuing series highlighting all thirty-two clubs in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup. The event starts on Saturday, June 14th.

Club Background

From: Turin, Italy
How They Qualified: Ranked high enough on the UEFA pathway based on past Champions League performances.
Best CWC Finish: Debutantes! This is their first time.

Recent Form: Juventus lost the fewest games in Serie A last season (4, tied with champions Napoli), but had the highest number of draws (16). They still finished in 4th place and got their Champions League spot, but had to wait until the final game to do so. In CL, they scored the second fewest goals of any team that advanced out of the group stage (9, Club Brugge had 7). They were eliminated in the Round of 16 by PSV 4 – 3 on aggregate.
Facts: 67% of the team is non-Italian. And in keeping with stereotypes, with the exception of one midfielder, the Italians are all defenders and keepers. Reputedly the most popular team in Italy, with 34% of the soccer-loving population supporting them. The black-and-white stripes were actually taken from Notts County, and adopted by the club in 1902. John Savage played for that club and arranged for the kits to be brought in from England.

The Team

Manager: Igor Tudor Was hired on March 23, 2025 and managed to drag the team into a Champions League position. First non-Italian manager since Dider Deschamps back in 2006. He also played for them.
Star Players: Dušan Vlahović Serbian striker. 15g/5a despite injuries. Khéphren Thuram French midfielder. 5g/5a. Timothy Weah & Weston McKenni Two U.S. midfielders and USMNT regulars.
Young Players: Kenan Yıldız 20 year-old Turkish forward. 8g/6a. Samuel Mbangula 21 year-old Belgian winger.
Training Sites: The Greenbrier Sports Training Center, Greenbrier County, West Virginia ChampionsGate, Orlando, Florida

When to Watch

9:00pm ET on Jun 18, 2025 vs. Al Ain @ Audi Field, Washington DC
12:00pm ET on Jun 22, 2025 vs. Wydad AC @ Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
3:00pm ET on Jun 26, 2025 vs. Manchester City @ Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL

The Hooligan Take

Thick with talent, but lacking a ruthless edge. That’s my take on this Juventus team. So many draws in Serie A show they couldn’t hold onto wins, or had to struggle to snatch a point. That type of form can be dangerous in tournaments like this. They should be able to handle Wydad and Al Ain to advance, and want their final group game against Manchester City to be moot, or a battle for the top spot.