In the summer of 2025, Inter will play in the first edition of the 32-team Club World Cup in the United States. The Group E in which Simone Inzaghi’s team has been placed faces three opponents competing for qualification with the Nerazzurri. Let’s get to know Monterrey better, a team that was in the third tier at the time of the draw.
HOW MONTERREY PLAYS
Monterrey is a team that advocates very offensive soccer with four high-level offensive players, three of whom also boast an important past in European soccer. This includes former Milan and Genoa player, Ocampos, along with two old acquaintances from Spanish football such as Oliver Torres formerly of Sevilla, Porto and Atletico and Canales a key figure for years in Real Betis and Real Sociedad.
Today, Monterrey is fourth in the Mexican Liga MX Apertura championship and is one of the most successful teams in this country. They often achieve victories both nationally and continentally, boasting five Concacaf Champions Leagues and a Concacaf Cup Winners’ Cup in their palmares.
MONTERREY’S LINEUP
The coach is Martin Demichelis, former defender of Bayern Munich. He was on the field in the Champions League final won by Inter against the Bavarians in 2010. He is also the former coach of River Plate, another opponent of the Nerazzurri in the Club World Cup group stage. The following is his typical lineup.
Monterrey 4-2-3-1: Cardenas; Gutierrez, Hector Moreno, Guzman, Arteaga; Ambriz, Fimbres; Canales, Oliver Torres, Ocampos; Berterame. Coach: Martin Demichelis.
OCAMPOS, MONTERREY’S STAR
The team’s most talented player is very likely Lucas Ocampos. The Argentine offensive winger has always been a player with great qualities. At 30 years old, he decided to relaunch his career in the Mexican league a few months ago.
In Serie A we got to know him with Genoa and Milan between 2016 and 2017 when he arrived on loan from Marseille. He has played for many clubs in his career, including Monaco, OM, Sevilla, and Ajax. The match against River Plate will be very special as he is a product of their youth academy.
INTER-MONTERREY, PREVIOUS MEETINGS IN THE COMPETITION
Inter and Monterrey have never faced each other in official matches. While the Nerazzurri have not participated in this Club World Cup for 15 years, the Mexicans are somewhat regular attendees of the competition. They have already participated five times since the tournament took on this name.
They did so in three consecutive years 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14 achieving respectively a fifth, a third and a fifth place. They then returned to participate in 2019/20 third place and in 2021/22 fifth place.
