The 2025 Club World Cup delivered one of its most surprising twists when Auckland City, a semi-professional team from New Zealand whose roster combines part-time footballers with full-time workers, played a crucial role in Boca Juniors' elimination from the tournament.

A Historic Draw in the Middle of a Storm

With the match level at 1-1, Auckland City equalized against Boca in Nashville thanks to a set-piece goal by Christian Gray in the 52nd minute. However, a lightning storm forced the game to be suspended—right when the result was already sealing Boca’s fate.

Even though the match is expected to resume later, Benfica's 1-0 win over Bayern Munich had already defined the group standings, making Boca’s elimination official regardless of the final outcome in their match. The New Zealand side became one of the unlikely executioners of a football giant.

What Makes This Feat So Remarkable?

• "Players who don’t live off football" – the squad includes office workers, teachers, and pharmacists who only train in the evenings.
• A true David vs. Goliath story – despite limited resources, Auckland City have long dominated Oceania with 13 OFC Champions League titles and a historic third-place finish in 2014.
• A symbolic blow – despite suffering heavy defeats (6-0 vs Benfica, 10-0 vs Bayern), their draw against Boca shows that money doesn’t always dictate results.

A Brutal Blow for Boca Juniors

Drawing against a semi-professional team and getting knocked out in the group stage marks one of Boca Juniors' biggest recent international failures. The Argentine club, usually a contender in South America, leaves the tournament without a single win—drawing Benfica 2-2 after leading late and narrowly losing to Bayern Munich.

Now, the draw against Auckland City, sealed during a storm and by an external result, puts a painful end to their World Cup campaign.