Franco Armani Urges River Plate to Keep Heads High After Club World Cup Exit

River Bows Out After Loss to Inter

River Plate’s journey at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup came to an end in Seattle following a 2-0 defeat to Inter Milan. Goalkeeper and team captain Franco Armani offered a heartfelt post-match reflection, expressing pride in the team’s efforts despite the early exit.

"It’s obviously disappointing not to qualify, especially after the performance we gave," Armani said. "We stuck to our game plan until the red card. That changed everything, but the team gave it their all. We need to hold our heads high and keep working."

Armani was referencing the first-half dismissal of Lucas Martínez Quarta, which tipped the momentum in Inter’s favor. River, who had shown promise early in the match, found themselves on the back foot and ultimately couldn’t recover.

Regret Over Draw with Monterrey

Armani also addressed the goalless draw against Monterrey earlier in the group stage—a result that proved costly. "We dominated against Monterrey, created the chances, but just couldn’t score. We knew Inter would be tough, but we believed we could win. It just didn’t happen."

Despite the disappointment, Armani emphasized the positives, praising the group’s effort and calling for continued unity. "Let’s keep moving forward. There are good things ahead."

What’s Next for River Plate

River Plate now shifts focus to a packed second half of the 2025 season. The club will compete in the Torneo Clausura, the Copa Argentina, and the Round of 16 in the CONMEBOL Libertadores, where they will face Paraguay’s Libertad.

Club World Cup 2025: Teams Advancing to the Round of 16

With the group stage wrapped up, the Club World Cup 2025 in the United States has confirmed the 16 teams moving on to the knockout rounds. Here’s a look at the top performers:

Group A:

Palmeiras: Topped the group with 5 points (2-2 draw vs. Inter Miami, 0-0 vs. Porto, 2-0 win over Al Ahly).

Inter Miami: Led by Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, finished second after a 2-1 win over Porto and a key draw against Palmeiras.

Group B:

PSG: Despite an upset loss to Botafogo, secured the group lead with dominant wins over Atlético Madrid (4-0) and Seattle Sounders (2-0).

Botafogo: The reigning CONMEBOL Libertadores champion surprised many by beating PSG and Sounders to finish second.

Group C:

Benfica: Secured first place after a 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich, following a draw against Boca Juniors and a 6-0 thrashing of Auckland City.

Bayern Munich: Advanced with a historic 10-0 opening win and a tight 2-1 victory over Boca, despite falling to Benfica.

Group D:

Flamengo: Clinched first with wins over Espérance (2-0) and Chelsea (3-1), before drawing with LAFC.

Chelsea: Rebounded from the Flamengo loss with a 3-0 win over Espérance to claim second.

Group E:

Inter Milan: Topped the group after defeating Urawa Red Diamonds and River Plate, following a 1-1 draw with Monterrey.

Monterrey: Finished second with a 3-1 win over Urawa and a draw against River.

Group F:

Borussia Dortmund: Led the group with narrow wins over Mamelodi Sundowns and Ulsan, plus a draw with Fluminense.

Fluminense: Advanced with 4 points from a win over Ulsan and two draws.

Group G:

Juventus: Dominated early with a 5-0 win over Al Ain and a 4-1 victory over Wydad. Will battle Manchester City for the top spot.

Manchester City: Matched Juventus with 6 points after beating Wydad and Al Ain convincingly. Their final group game will decide the standings.

Knockout Matches Begin June 28

The Round of 16 fixtures will run from Saturday, June 28, through Tuesday, July 1. With football giants and rising challengers all in the mix, fans are in for an exciting knockout stage in this historic tournament.