Imagine needing to take time off from your regular job to travel internationally and compete against football giants like Harry Kane and Bayern Munich in the FIFA Club World Cup. This is the reality for Auckland City FC, an amateur team from New Zealand. They are the sole amateur side participating in this summer`s expanded tournament, navigating unique challenges as their players juggle full-time professions with elite football.
Auckland City FC is a dominant force in Oceania, having won the OFC Men`s Champions League a record 13 times, making them the most successful club in the region. The expanded Club World Cup format offers them a significant opportunity. This success is built on a tight-knit group of players who play for each other, described by Sporting Director Gordon Watson as a `family`.
Goalkeeper Conor Tracey illustrates the dedication required: `Getting to compete at this level feels incredible every time we win,` he shares. `It’s the result of hard work over many years. I work a 40-hour week, train for hours after fighting traffic, and it consumes a lot of my personal time because of this football.`
For context, imagine a successful amateur team from the US winning their regional championship and qualifying for this global stage. Simply reaching the tournament is a massive achievement for Auckland City FC. Placed in a challenging group alongside Bayern Munich, Benfica, and Boca Juniors, earning even a single point would be remarkable. However, the opportunity is to test themselves against the world`s elite players.
The commitment needed to reach this stage is truly impressive, showcasing each player`s dedication to the club. Goalkeeper Tracey, for instance, had to cut an interview short to ensure he didn`t exceed his lunch break and return to work on time.
Tracey elaborates on his limited free time: `I don’t have much spare time,` he admits, citing work on a Sunday as an example. `Work cuts into both my personal and football time. Everything eats into my personal life. This weekend, I’ll try to see my girlfriend Friday night, maybe for an hour before I need to sleep. Saturday morning, two hours for coffee before getting ready for the game. All these tiny moments are planned well in advance; by Friday, your whole weekend is already scheduled.`
`Every single moment is highly treasured,` Tracey emphasizes. `We don’t have much time, but it’s a choice we make. That’s what distinguishes us – everyone chooses between working full-time, having this demanding football schedule that deeply impacts personal life and time with friends/family, or living a normal life. While others have their own struggles, they don’t add 16-18 hours of football weekly on top of a 40-hour job.`
As the only amateur club, Auckland City FC offers a unique and highly relatable perspective. Spectators can understand the choices involved in balancing professional careers with personal ambitions. Everyone strives for something, and reaching significant goals often requires sacrifice.
At Te Atatū Intermediate School, Auckland City right-back Jordan Vale works as a teacher. Given that rugby, not soccer, is the dominant sport in New Zealand, the sacrifices these players make to compete internationally are even more notable.
Participating in the Club World Cup in the United States requires Auckland City FC players to take significant time off work. Jordan Vale even considered quitting his teaching job for flexibility but managed to secure a substitute role instead. Personal circumstances also mean head coach Paul Rosa will miss the initial phase of the tournament; the team will be led by a coaching group including Adria Casals, Ivan Vicelich, Daewook Kim, and Jonas Hoffmann.
Vale reflects on the toll: `Coming into this season… I was getting mentally a bit exhausted,` he shares. `My workload plus football, those sacrifices were kind of catching up to me. Our season runs almost year-round… I was quite overworked and thinking, how am I going to juggle this?`
`I decided to make a significant sacrifice and try being a substitute teacher,` Vale explains. `I resigned last year, but my principal came to me… saying they didn`t want to lose me and were happy to accommodate time off for the Club World Cup. This flexible position has significantly reduced my work burden, allowing me more precious free time and helping me refocus on football while still giving 100% to my work.`
This level of prioritization isn`t for everyone, but the team`s strong bond motivates many players to make these sacrifices, despite requiring considerable unpaid leave. Building a competitive team means seeking players willing to rearrange their lives for football, which narrows the recruitment pool. However, Sporting Director Watson believes having strong characters like Vale and Tracey is essential for success. Players even change jobs to ensure they can manage the demanding soccer schedule, highlighting their deep commitment to the Navy Blues.
Gordon Watson acknowledges the difficulty: `There are tough choices,` he says. `When I hear them making these decisions, a parental part of me thinks, `Oh my god, don`t do that.` I did it, and it`s tough, but again, it`s a choice. Reflecting back… it brings up all the sacrifice, heartache, disappointment. There`s no guarantee you`ll get picked… Plus, you`re doing your job. But you only get one shot like this – one Club World Cup, one game with Bayern Munich, one with Benfica, one with Boca Juniors. Is it worth it? It’s a very personal choice, but I`m in awe of them.`
These matches offer Auckland City FC a massive platform and could potentially provide players with opportunities to transition into fully professional leagues. The club is excited to return to the competition, particularly the first edition featuring 32 teams.
While there`s a known path for Auckland City players to move to the Australian A-League, strong performances at the Club World Cup could truly be life-changing. Beyond results, there are unforgettable moments, like those helping to inspire football interest at Jordan Vale`s school.
Vale recounts a memorable moment: `At the start of this year, I really wanted to encourage kids playing football… We got about 100 boys and 80 girls to sign up for trials,` he shares. He worked with the PE teacher, using photos from past tournaments and pictures of Karim Benzema from a previous Club World Cup. A student drew him with Benzema and kept asking about the experience. `He found out that after the game you can be randomly drug tested, and my name got drawn.`
While drug tests can be long, this one was significant for Vale. `I walked into the room, and there was Benzema and Fabinho, who had also been randomly selected,` Vale says. `So we got to sit in this quite cramped room and just chat for an hour. For me and Cameron [Harper], being Liverpool fans, seeing Fabinho was awesome, but also Benzema. It was amazing.`
The student who heard the story continued quizzing him, now focusing on future opponents: `Now it`s about Harry Kane. `Will you be able to tackle him?“
Vale and Auckland City will soon face that question when they kick off their Club World Cup journey against Bayern Munich on June 15. They are not just competing; they are potentially inspiring the next generation of New Zealand footballers as the sport grows in the country. Sharing the pitch with global legends transforms players into heroes back home, proving dreams are worth the sacrifice.
