Even before the FIFA Club World Cup started, the revamped competition had generated its share of doubts — over ticket sales, security measures, lack of player rest, and more.
But once the games kicked off, the focus was supposed to shift away from the controversies to the action on the field. But what about when an amateur team goes against the most decorated club in Germany’s history and sets a dubious new record in FIFA competitions?
Auckland City, a non-professional side from New Zealand, was clobbered 10-0 by Bayern Munich on Sunday in the day two of the Club World Cup.
Yes, that’s the same Bayern Munich that has won the Bundesliga 34 times and has a current player roster worth more than $1 billion. By comparison, Auckland City’s flights to the U.S. to compete in the tournament reportedly cost more than the team’s revenue for the year.
Michael Olise, who scored three times, was asked afterward if he started to feel bad for his opponent as the game went on and he shook his head, “No,” laughed, and then repeated, “No.”
The 10-0 result highlights the quirkiness of the Club World Cup, which FIFA expanded to 32 teams amid concerns about how competitive it would be. Auckland City is the only amateur team in the tournament.
So where does this result fall in FIFA competitions? Well, it’s the largest losing margin ever in a senior men’s tournament hosted by FIFA, according to ESPN Global Research.
The Club World Cup has only been around since 2000, and the worst result prior to Sunday was Al Hilal’s 6-1 loss to Al Jazeera at the 2002 edition of the tournament.
The FIFA men’s World Cup has seen its share of lopsided results since the tournament’s debut in 1930, but never a 10-goal loss. Here are the biggest losses in FIFA World Cup history:
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Hungary vs. El Salvador: 10-1 (1982)
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Yugoslavia vs. Zaire: 9-0 (1974)
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Hungary vs. South Korea: 9-0 (1954)