10 forgotten footballers we can’t believe will be at the Club World Cup: Lanzini, Malcom…
Former Barcelona, Manchester United, Atletico Madrid, West Ham and Everton players are among the long-forgotten footballers who’ll be reminding you of their existence at FIFA’s big, expanded Club World Cup tournament this summer.
The likes of Real Madrid, Chelsea, PSG and Inter are among the European giants who will be looking to get their hands on the trophy, with an estimated £100million prize pot for the winners. They’re set to do battle with giant clubs of the world game who are home to footballers you’ve (probably) not thought about in yonks.
Here are 10 forgotten footballers we can’t believe are at the upcoming 2025 Club World Cup.
Malcom
Ruben Neves, Joao Cancelo, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Neymar (who has since departed) have all made high-profile, big-money moves to Al Hilal in recent years.
But one of the Saudi Pro League club’s signings that went a little under the radar was that of Malcom.
The Brazilian winger fell off the radar somewhat after his short-lived stint in Barcelona. He spent four years out in Russia with Zenit Saint Petersburg before joining Al Hilal in 2023.
Surprisingly enough, the 2024-25 season was the first in which he failed to win a league title since he was at Bordeaux back in 2018.
Rui Patricio
The veteran Portugal international spent the last year warming the bench at Atalanta, unable to usurp first-choice Marco Carnesecchi.
After seeing out his one-year deal in Bergamo, the 37-year-old has left the European game after almost two decades of guarding the sticks for Sporting, Wolves, Roma and Atalanta.
Patricio has just signed up with Abu Dhabi side Al Ain, who have qualified for the Club World Cup as the winners of the 2023-24 Asian Champions League.
Lee Chung-yong
Now we’re going back a bit. A proper Barclays era throwback, this one.
South Korea international Lee played under Gary Megson and Owen Coyle at Bolton Wanderers and Sam Allardyce and Alan Pardew at Crystal Palace. What’s Korean for ‘stick it in the mixer’?
The winger returned to South Korea back in 2020, signing for Ulsan HD who have qualified as “the best-ranked eligible team over the past four years in the Asian confederation’s ranking”.
Oliver Torres
We left out Sergio Ramos because we thought that one you might be aware of.
The legendary defender will captain Mexican outfit Monterrey, winners of the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League, and we expect sparks to fly when he faces Inter, River Plate and Urawa Reds in the group stage.
He’s not the only former Spain international on Monterrey’s books. There’s also La Liga mainstay Sergio Canales and once much-hyped midfielder Oliver Torres.
If you were playing Football Manager 10 years ago, you’ll remember Torres as a must-have wonderkid. Now he’s 30 and never quite realised his potential, playing out in Mexico after a respectable but not spectacular career representing Atletico Madrid, Porto and Sevilla.
Salomon Rondon
Ramos isn’t the only familiar face turning out in the Liga MX nowadays.
There’s also former Chelsea perennial loanee Kenedy, 2023 Copa Libertadores match-winner John Kennedy and Premier League battering ram Rondon at Pachuca.
The 35-year-old Venezuela international has a decent one-in-two goalscoring return for the Mexican outfit, who won last year’s CONCACAF Champions Cup. You imagine Rafael Benitez will be tuning in to watch his favourite, very large son in action.
Cengiz Under
That rare “long forgotten” footballer well under the age of 30, Under has represented clubs in Ligue 1, the Premier League and Serie A to bookmark his stints in his native Turkey.
The winger has had his moments, particularly as a youngster at Roma, but he’s never really quite kicked on to realise that early potential and find a settled home anywhere. After falling out of favour under Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahce, Under has been loaned to LAFC for 2025.
LAFC recently stunned Club America with a last-gasp comeback victory to seal the last-minute final spot in the Club America. Also home to former Premier League stalwarts Hugo Lloris and Olivier Giroud, the MLS outfit will face Chelsea, Flamengo and ES Tunis.
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Alex Sandro
After almost a decade and a half in the European game turning out for Porto and Juventus, experienced Brazil international Alex Sandro returned home last year and signed for Flamengo.
Having qualified as the winners of the 2022 Copa Libertadores, Flamengo are coached by former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid left-back Filipe Luis. They’re also home to Everton Soares, Allan, Bruno Henrique and Giorgian de Arrascaeta.
Renato Augusto
The Brazilian midfielder left the European game thirteen years ago. If that doesn’t fit the billing of ‘footballers you’ve not thought about in forever’, we’re not sure what will.
After making over a hundred appearances for Bayer Leverkusen, Renato returned to Brazil and signed for Corinthians back in 2013. He subsequently spent five years in China with Beijing Guoan before returning to Corinthians and is still going at the age of 37 with Fluminense.
You may (not) remember Fluminense getting soundly beaten 4-0 by Manchester City in the 2023 Club World Cup final. They’ll be hoping to fare better this time around.
Manuel Lanzini
Alongside the last four Brazilian Copa Libertadores winners, Argentinian giants River Plate have qualified as one of the top-ranked South American sides over the past four years.
Legendary manager Marcelo Gallardo is back in the historic club’s dugout but he’s as yet struggling to work the same magic in his second stint at the Monumental.
Seventeen-year-old wonderkid Franco Mastantuono is their one to watch, but you’ll be pleased to know former West Ham fan favourite Lanzini is also turning out for Los Millonarios these days.
Lanzini was always capable of the spectacular. Let’s hope he can sprinkle some stardust in River Plate’s clashes with Urawa Reds, Monterrey and Inter.
Ander Herrera
You could spend hours listing all the South American superstars who have lit up the European game.
But you’d struggle to get to double figures the other way wrong. It’s always refreshing to see, though, and somehow Herrera at Boca Juniors just feels right.
The tough-tackling Basque midfielder departed Athletic Club for a second time in January to take on a new challenge at La Bombonera.
Boca aren’t short of Manchester United old boys, with Sergio Romero, Marcos Rojo and Edinson Cavani also making up their ranks.
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