The Club World Cup group stages are wrapping up and as the competition prepares to move toward the elimination phase it is a fan of Argentinian side Boca Juniors who has been stealing headlines for claims of how he financed his trip. Interviewed during a pregame celebration, the man seemingly admitted to committing a crime to fund his excursion, but did he really?
What Is The Club World Cup?
Depending on your thoughts on whether a competition is still the same competition if you change the size, schedule, or methods of qualifying, the Club World Cup is either a new competition for club football teams or the latest edition of a tournament that debuted in 2000. While the first iteration included two groups of four teams, when the second attempt with three groups collapsed under financial strain the tournament resumed in 2005 with a smaller scale.
Through the next 19 iterations the competition had seven (or occasionally six) teams with the holders of each confederation’s top club competition and one host nation club. Teams played a single-elimination tournament with byes for the biggest clubs each December. This stopped in 2024, which was skipped for a move to a quadrennial 32-team format featuring group play and knockouts, with not just continental champions but also other top qualifiers receiving spots.
Does Anyone Care About The Club World Cup?
If you’re reading this, it’s probable that what coverage you have seen certainly wouldn’t leave you with that impression. As with the older format, fans of European sides have been largely dismissive, likening it to glorified friendlies like League Shields, and liking the thought of their players having another summer without a break even less than they liked the added fixtures in the winter.
As Football Manager streamer, and football YouTuber, Zealand points out, however, that’s not the case for fans of clubs in less-wealthy confederations, who often hold the trophy as the highest on offer for their sides due to the chance to play and beat European giants. He even notes how the competition has been visibly more important to South American players on European clubs.
That brings us to the case of a viral fan who shared his story of trying to sell his car to fund his trip, failing to get fair price and having “to burn the car” for ten grand to fund it.
Did That Man Just Admit To Insurance Fraud?
— doble amarilla
Locura por #River: un hincha ¡quemó su coche para cobrar el seguro y así viajar al #MundialDeClubes!
Un simpatizante "Millonario" fue entrevistado en la previa del duelo ante #Monterrey
y develó una inédita anécdota
(@okdobleamarilla) June 23, 2025
This is where things get nuanced. While the clip has spread wide across social media and sports sites, the meaning of the excited fan’s words has been disputed by some. They note that while the literal translation of his words is that he set the car on fire, in Argentinian Spanish the phrase was likely meant to mean he sold for less than it was worse.
So which is it? While it’s certainly possible the man was being literal with his words, the surrounding context would seem to point to him meaning the alternative suggestion. While it may seem like misplaced priorities to be more concerned with his wife’s anger than legal problems, his claim they can still get it back does not point to a car destroyed, but rather one transferred to someone else for less than its worth. Either way, it’s clear that this tournament still means a whole lot to some fans who will be eagerly anticipating the knockout rounds.
