Ilkay Gundogan will lead Manchester City into the unknown at the Fifa Club World Cup, and he cannot wait to get started.
Having won all there is to win in European club football, as well as the last Club World Cup in its previous guise in 2023, Gundogan will be part of Pep Guardiola's new-look, younger squad in the United States.
City have left behind Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish and Kalvin Phillips and James McAtee in England with all four players made available for transfer.
With Kevin de Bryune having already departed for Italian champions Napoli, it leaves the door open for the likes of summer signings Tijani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki to make an immediate impact at City. It does, however, leave a vacuum, in terms of the "leadership" group. Despite reports of a move to Turkey, Gundogan will travel as one of the squad's most senior and experienced players.
City open their potentially lucrative campaign – the winners of the competition could pocket up to $125 million – against [Moroccan side Wydad](https://WAC hope corner has been turned as they fly flag for Moroccan football at Club World Cup "https://WAC hope corner has been turned as they fly flag for Moroccan football at Club World Cup") at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Field on Wednesday.
“I don’t know what to expect,” said Gundogan. “It’s a brand new competition in this format. It’s difficult to get a feeling for it. I guess it’s going to be a bit like the Euros or the World Cup, but we will see how it works out in terms of organisation and travelling.
“To be honest, new things are always a little bit exciting, so I am looking forward to it. I feel like football is getting more interesting around the world.
“It is getting more popular and it is not a coincidence that this Club World Cup is happening in the United States, where the next World Cup will also be next summer.
“Maybe it will serve as something of a test run, but it also shows that in a country where football was never really a priority or a huge sport, there is a growth in popularity. Having Lionel Messi playing here helps, too, I am sure, as does the fact that the MLS is getting stronger.
“The CWC will give teams from smaller nations a big platform. When else would you get cubs from different continents playing one another? In our group, for instance, we have Wydad from Morocco – when else would they get the chance to play against a team like Manchester City?
"It is kind of a cross over and that makes it exciting. There will be lots of different styles of play on show, different tactics, and it should make it exciting for spectators.”
City are the defending world champions having won the previous edition in 2023. That tournament, in Saudi Arabia, was held under Fifa's old format of pitting only continental champions against each other. With the 2025 tournament expanded to 32 teams, consisting of eight groups of four which produce a knockout tournament of the top 16, promises to be very different.
Clubs will no doubt use the competition to blood new faces and formations and try out youngsters. There will also be one eye on business, a fact not lost on Gundogan.
“For individuals, this will also be a way of being scouted,” he said. “Some players may get big moves out of it as they do from a World Cup. We have seen it in the past. It is a stage on which to shine and present yourself. Though, of course, the team's success should always be the focus.”
A veteran of multiple World Cups and European Championships stretching back 13 years, Gundogan is well-versed in how tournament play differs from the daily grind of domestic league football.
“We have a lot of players in our squad who are experienced in tournament football, but those who haven’t will look up to the experienced ones like myself to help them,” he said.
“They will need guidelines. They will need to behave in a certain way, not just on the pitch but in preparation and training sessions. Even in downtime. Communication is the key, particularly on the pitch.
“Sometimes in these types of competitions, it is important to know when to take it easy and not overcomplicate things. It is a different rhythm.
“If you lose your first game you are immediately under pressure, but this is what young players have to cope with, especially if they want to reach the top.
“You have to be able to deal with it. It is important that our most experienced players are here and present and available to pass on advice.
“There seems to be a trend at the moment in football where people are saying this player is too old or another one cannot run anymore, but we always have had this in football.
“You need experienced players on the pitch. I know that when I was 18 or 19, I was looking up to those experienced players. Just by watching what they did – and how they did it – I learnt. It wasn’t always necessary for them to say anything.
“All young players need some experience around them. Sometimes you don’t have to work harder but work smarter."
City’s potential path to glory sees them face the UAE's most decorated club, Al Ain, on June 23 in Atlanta. They finish their Group G campaign against Italian giants Juventus in Orlando on June 26. The top in Group G will progress to the last 16.
It may also be the last time some of the City stars appear for the club, with new director of football Hugo Viana happy to listen to bids for some of them as he seeks further reinforcements, most notably a specialised right-back, when the transfer window reopens.
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Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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Dubai World Cup Carnival card
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m
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The National selections:
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Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
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FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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On Women's Day