The revamped FIFA Club World Cup is well and truly underway in the United States, with the 32 best teams from around the world competing for the trophy in a month-long tournament.
Major League Soccer side Los Angeles FC (LAFC) will begin its campaign against Premier League giant Chelsea in their Group D clash at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Monday (June 17 in IST).
WHO IS LOS ANGELES FC?
Los Angeles FC is an American football club that was founded in 2014. The team played its first professional game in the MLS in 2018 and has since then been a heavyweight in the competition.
LAFC won its first honour in 2019, securing the MLS Supporters’ Shield with a then league record of 72 points in the Western Conference. It won the shield again in 2022 and went on to secure wins in the Playoffs and reach the MLS Cup final, where it beat Philadelphia Union on penalties to be crowned champion.
More recently, the LA outfit won the U.S. Open Cup in 2024 after beating Sporting Kansas City in final.
ALSO READ | Club World Cup — Brazilian champion Botafogo beats Seattle Sounders 2-1 before PSG clash
Currently it is fifth in the MLS Western Conference table with 26 points from 16 games and is unbeaten in its last 10 games in all competitons.
HOW DID LOS ANGELES FC QUALIFY FOR FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP 2025?
Los Angeles FC booked a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 after beating Club América in a playoff match to decide who gets the spot left vacant by Mexican side Club Leon, which was kicked out of the tournament in March due to an ownership rule breach.
A goal from Igor Jesus and an extra-time winner from Denis Bouanga ensured that LAFC completed a 2-1 comeback win against Club America.
PLAYERS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN LOS ANGELES FC
LAFC is led by forward Denis Bouanga, who has scored 48 league goals since the beginning of the 2023 season, which is five more than any other MLS player in that span (Christian Benteke, 43).
This season, he currently ranks second in MLS with 36 shots on target and leads the squad’s goalscoring charts with 11 goals in 21 appearances in all competitons.
At the opposite end of the pitch, goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, a veteran of 70 UEFA Champions League matches with Lyon and Tottenham, and FIFA World Cup winner with France, has posted five clean sheets in 15 MLS starts this season.
LAFC will also have the services of France’s all time top-scorer Olivier Giroud in its ranks.
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com