Club World Cup Scouting Report: Atletico Madrid always bring the fight, but can they make a run this summer?

Led by one of the best coaches of the modern era, the red and blue side of Madrid remains fierce - will it be enough?

The moment Diego Simeone walked through the door in 2011, everything changed. Since the Argentine's arrival, an identity has been built, trophies have been won and, more than anything, Atletico Madrid has become the world's toughest team to play against.

No one gets excited for a visit from Cholo and his men. No one.

It's not always pretty, but it's always entertaining and, this summer, the Atletico Madrid show arrives in North America for the Club World Cup - and you can bet they'll be ready for a scrap.

Make no mistake: Atleti aren't mere brawlers. They just embody that mindset. For years, this team has gone toe-to-toe with Barcelona and Real Madrid thanks to that toughness, of course, but these teams have been built to win, too. Atleti is always the right mix of talent and determination, which is why they've achieved so much under their Argentinian manager.

Now, the question is if they can win the big one this summer. Under Simoen'e guidance, Atleti has won La Liga twice, a Copa de Rey, two Europa Leagues and a UEFA Super Cup, but there are Champions League memories that still sting.

They've been runners-up twice in that competition, and both times they've had their hearts broken by Real Madrid. It happened this year in the Round of 16, too, as a controversial call in a penalty shootout proved their undoing.

Could this be the summer where Atleti put themselves on top of the footballing world? Could this be the tournament where they turn their grit into gold?

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be played in 12 stadiums in 11 U.S. cities, from the opener on June 14 until the final on July 13. In the U.S., fans can stream or watch matches on DAZN or TNT. Leading up to kickoff, GOAL will provide scouting reports on each of the 32 participating teams in the expanded field.

Next up is Atletico Madrid, with a look at key players to watch, and expectations for the Spanish giants ahead this summer's tournament.

AFP
The Basics
DOMESTIC LEAGUE: La Liga
CLUB WORLD CUP HISTORY: First appearance
GROUP: B (Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Seattle Sounders, Botafogo)
OPENING MATCH: PSG - June 15, 3 pm. ET, Pasadena

AFP
How they got here
Atletico Madrid's success in Europe earned them their ticket, as they were the sixth-best ranked eligible team in UEFA's four-year ranking system. That meant they joined the likes of Bayern Munich, PSG, Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund, among others, in a group of nine teams to qualify without having lifted a continental trophy in recent years.
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The player to watch
Still just 25, Julian Alvarez already has a World Cup, two Copas America, two Premier League trophy, a Champions League trophy and, yes, a Club World Cup winners medal on his resume - but can he bring that history of winning to a club that, in recent years, has fallen just short?
The signing of the Argentine was a masterstroke by Atleti, and a blunder from Manchester City, who have certainly missed him since selling him this summer. He has 23 goals in all competitions this season, including seven in just 10 Champions League appearances before Atleti's untimely exit.
That exit came, in part, due to a controversial call in Alvarez's shootout attempt, with the striker having been ruled to have touched the ball twice after slipping on his run-up.
Make no mistake: Alavarez is up there with the best in the world and, with Antoine Griezmann's future uncertain amid links to LAFC, he'll be more important than ever. He has the fighters behind him to do all the dirty work, but the pressure will be on Alvarez to continue banging in the goals that can take this team from good to great.

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Realistic expectation
The duel with PSG to start the tournament will almost certainly decide the group, with both European giants expected to take care of their groupmates, the Seattle Sounders and Botafogo.
A favorable matchup awaits in the knockouts, too, with Group B matched up with the weakest in the competition, Group A, which features Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly and Inter Miami.
That means there's a realistic path to the quarterfinals and, once there, anything can happen. Expect Atleti to make it that far and then make life hell for whoever they play.

The Basics

How they got here

The player to watch

Realistic expectation