The reimagined Club World Cup kicks off this Saturday, uniting some of football’s most renowned clubs and players from across the globe… alongside Auckland City.
In a tournament flaunting a staggering US$1 billion prize pool and showcasing superstar athletes such as Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, the presence of the New Zealand outfit is a remarkable contrast.
Auckland City operates as an amateur club, with players juggling their football commitments alongside university coursework or full-time jobs in sectors such as education, real estate, and sales. They do not receive salaries for their participation in the sport.
Their inaugural match at the Club World Cup in the United States pits them against the German champions Bayern Munich, featuring the prolific English striker Harry Kane.
Following Bayern, they are set to face off against other football powerhouses, Benfica and Boca Juniors.
Striker Angus Kilkolly is brimming with excitement.
“This is probably our dream group,” he expressed to AFP via phone while commuting to training from his sales job.
“The chance to actually play against these teams is a dream come true for us. The thought of being on the same pitch is quite surreal.“
The 13-time Oceania Champions League titlists have been a near-constant fixture in the Club World Cup since its inception in 2006.
In the 2014 edition, the Navy Blues secured third place among seven teams, narrowly losing to Argentina’s San Lorenzo in extra time during the semi-finals.
This year’s tournament represents a significant transformation, with FIFA infusing substantial resources to expand it into a 32-team competition, featuring clubs like Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City, and Inter Milan.
Kilkolly describes Auckland City as “a family club where everyone feels included, and you recognise familiar faces at every match.“
The club’s charming Kiwitea Street ground, located in a residential area of New Zealand’s biggest city, typically hosts crowds ranging from 200 to 2,000, according to Kilkolly.
“We’ve got a lovely boutique club room where everyone enjoys a drink after the match,” remarked the 29-year-old, who boasts an impressive scoring record of a goal every other game across nearly 140 appearances.
Currently, Auckland City sits in third place, four points adrift of leaders Birkenhead United AFC in the 12-team amateur Northern League.
So, given the elite competition they face, what would signify success against Bayern and the other giants?
“If we can walk away saying, ‘We played our style, we gave it our all,’ I believe that’s a positive takeaway,” Kilkolly said.
“Conversely, if we leave wondering, ‘Could we have done more?’ that would certainly leave a bitter taste.“
The team is committed to adhering to the club’s “DNA,” which emphasises attractive possession-based football and building play from the back.
“We rarely concede goals in New Zealand, so our goal at the Club World Cup is to maintain that trend,” he added.
Kilkolly’s typical weekday is filled with activity, and he hasn’t taken a proper break in three to four years due to football commitments consuming all his leave days.
As a sales manager at a power tools company, he starts work at 7:30 am, finishes a full day’s work, trains three to four times a week, returns home by 9:00 pm, then heads to bed, only to do it all over again the next day.
He does not earn a wage from football.
Instead, amateur players in New Zealand are capped at NZD 150 (approximately USD 90) a week for basic expenses, including gym memberships.
The Auckland City squad will be based in the United States for nearly a month—luckily, Kilkolly’s boss is supportive and passionate about football.
“It’s challenging; it’s four weeks of leave, and I don’t have that much annual leave, so I’ll be taking unpaid leave to accommodate this,” Kilkolly explained.
“But this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Competing at the World Cup lets us step onto a global stage and experience what it’s like to be a professional footballer, albeit without the salary.“
As a forward, Kilkolly is particularly keen to catch a glimpse of Kane’s iconic number nine jersey after their clash at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, which has a capacity of 26,000.
“I reckon he makes more money in a week than I do in a year,” he chuckled.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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