It was a heartbreaking moment for Urawa Red Diamonds on Saturday, playing in front of 25,090 fans at Lumen Field. The 2022 AFC Champions League side nearly achieved a historic result against Inter Milan, thanks to an early goal from Ryoma Watanabe (11’). However, Lautaro Martínez (78’) delivered a stunning bicycle kick from a corner before Valentín Carboni struck in stoppage time (90+1’) to seal three crucial points for the Serie A giants. Urawa Red Diamonds came agonizingly close to pulling off what would have been the biggest upset in FIFA Club World Cup history — despite a staggering squad value gap of over €700 million between the two teams.
Club Comparison
| Urawa Red Diamonds | Inter Milan |
|---|---|
| Market Value: €19.85m | Market Value: €721.80m |
| League Level: First Tier | League Level: First Tier |
| Expenditures 24/25: €2.20m | Expenditures 24/25: €76.40m |
| Manager: Maciej Skorza | Manager: Cristian Chivu |
[Full Club Comparison]
Despite having the sixth most valuable squad in the tournament, totaling €721.8m, Inter Milan found themselves competing against Urawa Red Diamonds, whose modest squad value of €19.85m places them fourth from bottom. Even Watanabe, who scored for Urawa, has a market value of just €1.3m — ranking him 39th most valuable player in Japan — whereas Carboni is valued at €12m, and Martínez leads Serie A with a market value of €95m.
Player Comparison
| Inter Milan | Urawa Red Diamonds | |
|---|---|---|
| Market Value | €95.00m | €1.30m |
| Position | Centre-Forward | Attacking Midfield |
| Contract until | Jun 30, 2029 | Jan 31, 2026 |
[Full Player Comparison]
Post-Match Reactions
After the match, Inter players expressed relief at having clinched all three points. “The result is almost secondary,” said goalscorer Carboni. “It was challenging out there; they defended well. We’ve secured the three points, which is what matters as we look to move forward.”
Following a 1-1 draw against Monterrey in their first game, Inter needed this win to bolster their chances of advancing from Group E. They can now progress with just a draw in their next match against River Plate at Lumen Field on June 25.
Urawa Red Diamonds On the Verge of Another Upset
Having lost 3-1 to River Plate in their opening game, the J-League side now faces potential elimination. Despite showcasing admirable defensive resilience, Urawa’s players left the game disappointed. Midfielder Samuel Gustafson commented, “We anticipated they would play a certain way.” He acknowledged their solid defense but noted their lack of offensive pressure. “If you can’t apply pressure and push forward, eventually they’ll find a way through. That was the key. We were well-organized, but we simply couldn’t push up, and that’s not acceptable.”
Statistics supported Gustafson’s assessment — Inter Milan recorded an xG of 2.26 compared to Urawa’s 0.5, along with an overwhelming 82% possession rate. “We tried to keep them contained, but that wasn’t sufficient,” lamented Gustafson. Although Urawa nearly pulled off a historic upset, Inter’s quality ultimately prevailed, averting what would have been the most significant surprise of the tournament.