When play wrapped on June 26, Inter Milan led Group E with seven points, followed by Monterrey on five points.
River Plate finished third with four points, and Urawa Red Diamonds ended last with none.
Moving on to the 2025 Club World Cup from Group E are Inter Milan and Monterrey.
Inter Milan: Italian Power Tops the Group
Inter Milan earned their World Cup ticket via UEFA’s club rankings, under new coach Cristian Chivu.
They kicked off in Pasadena with a 1-1 draw against Monterrey, with Lazio’s Lautaro Martínez equalising after Sergio Ramos struck for the Mexicans.
Next up in Seattle came a gritty 2-1 comeback over Urawa Reds – a late Valentín Carboni winner after Martínez had levelled following an 11th minute Japanese strike.
With four points in the bag, they sealed top spot in dramatic fashion: a 2-0 win over River Plate, both goals arriving after River were reduced to 10 men, ensuring passage as group leaders.
Inter Milan will go against Fluminense in the CWC Round of 16.
Monterrey: Ramos Leads Mexico Into Knockouts
Mexican club Monterrey earned their place as 2021 CONCACAF Champions League winners.
They stunned with that 1-1 draw against UEFA Champions League runners up Inter, Sergio Ramos sparking the night before Martínez responded.
A goalless draw with River Plate in their second game kept them in contention.
When Urawa came next, Monterrey struck hard with a 4-0 win, Ramos again leading the charge – enough to edge into second on points.
In the next round, Monterrey will face Bundesliga side, Borussia Dortmund.
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River Plate: Unlucky to Exit Despite Strong Showing
Argentine club River Plate qualified through CONMEBOL’s ranking and started strong with two matches unbeaten.
They began emphatically with a 3-1 win over Urawa Red Diamonds with goals from Facundo Colidio, Sebastian Driussi, and Maximiliano Meza.
They then held to a 0-0 draw by Monterrey, keeping momentum, but with the blow of a red card.
River Plate’s final contest was a 2-0 loss to Inter, compounded by more red cards – two this time – which sealed elimination, in third with four points.
Urawa Red Diamonds: AFC Champs Out After Tough Group
Urawa Red Diamonds earned their Club World Cup slot by qualifying as 2022 AFC Champions League winners.
The opening 3-1 loss to River Plate set a tough tone.
In Seattle against Inter Milan, they struck first in the 11th minute. However, the Japanese side conceded twice late to fall 2-1.
Their final game, a 4-0 defeat to Monterrey ended hopes – no points, letdown performance.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Sebastian Frej
Recording Date: 25.06.2025