Football passion crossed borders during the FIFA Club World Cup debut between Monterrey and Internazionale, and at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl Stadium, beIN SPORTS USA and Ana Quiles captured the emotion exclusively from the stands. Entire families traveled from Monterrey, Nuevo León, wearing matching shirts and sharing breakfast as part of their matchday ritual. Others, like Giuseppe, came all the way from Italy, having booked tickets even before the Champions League final, just to watch his beloved Inter. Excitement peaked when a young Inter fan got to greet club legend Marco Materazzi.

The atmosphere was a multicultural celebration, filled with flags, chants, and children who inherited their football passion from their parents. For Rayados fans, the prediction was clear: “We’re going to win 3-1,” they said with pride and hope. Inter fans, meanwhile, were simply living a dream. “The feeling is incredible,” summed up Ana Quiles as the match came to a close.

On the field, the action delivered. Captain Sergio Ramos opened the scoring in the 25th minute with a powerful header, sending Monterrey fans into a frenzy. But Lautaro Martínez leveled the score just before halftime with a well-timed set-piece goal. In the second half, Chivu’s squad controlled the tempo, but Monterrey stayed solid and managed a few chances, including a close-range shot by Berterame that was saved by Sommer.

The 1-1 draw left both teams with positive takeaways and keeps Group E wide open, with River Plate leading after a win over Urawa Red Diamonds. Coming up on Saturday, Inter vs Urawa and Monterrey vs River promise more excitement in a tournament that has already shown football passion knows no borders.