In a virtual meeting last September, long before DAZN secured rights, FIFA pitched its expanded Club World Cup to top European clubs. Manchester City gave a polished live presentation. Bayern Munich and Juventus sent in pre-recorded videos. Then came Atletico Madrid.

Their CEO, Miguel Angel Gil Marin, joined the conversation with a pointed question: how much money would Atletico earn, especially compared to Real Madrid, who were expected to make over €100 million? The question was direct—maybe too direct. Some participants believed Gil Marin didn’t realize media and broadcasters were listening in. He changed his tune shortly thereafter. He couldn’t wait for the States tournament and loved how it was drawn up.

A Brand-Building Mission

Atletico Madrid had every reason to be proud. They qualified ahead of Barcelona and earned their spot among Europe’s top clubs. In December, Gil Marin and team president Enrique Cerezo boarded a private jet to Miami for the Club World Cup draw. Real Madrid’s president Florentino Perez failed to appear. Atletico saw this as an opportunity to better internationalize its brand with further connections.

The timing aligned with U.S.-based Ares Management increasing its investment in the club. With new backers on board, Atletico viewed the Club World Cup as a commercial launchpad.

A positive result would solidify its valuation moving forward with expected sales of marketing collections; they created Casa Atleti in Los Angeles for fan activation and merchandising locations—museum corners, food vendors, and gaming opportunities with club legends like Diego Costa, Tiago, and Miranda making appearances. According to Cerezo, “This is the most important tournament we will play in four years.”

To keep the momentum going, Atletico even launched a quirky new fan initiative: a “Supporters’ Club in outer space,” dubbed “Atleti Red & White.” Based in the Ursa Major constellation, it included a badge designed by a NASA engineer. This move blended branding with playfulness, aimed at sparking headlines and curiosity.

Atletico Madrid’s Los Angeles Struggles at Club World Cup

Their base was the upscale Conrad Hotel in downtown LA. But their stay coincided with large-scale immigration protests. The area fell under police-imposed curfews, with constant sirens and helicopters overhead. Players claimed to stay focused. “Of course we can hear them,” one said. “But we have to keep our heads 110 percent on the game.”

Their opener told a different story. Facing PSG under blistering heat, Atletico crumbled. Four goals down by halftime, they looked flat and uncomfortable. Marcos Llorente said, “It’s impossible, terribly hot. My toenails were hurting. […] Unbelievable.”

The conditions were far from ideal. The combination of jet lag, external noise, and searing heat drained their energy before kickoff. And once the match began, there was no tactical structure strong enough to compensate.

Missed Chances Off the Field

Despite the loss, Atletico pushed ahead with their marketing efforts. They hosted fan gatherings at Casa Atleti and held meetups along Venice Beach. Fernando Torres debuted the club’s latest kit with Nike legends Ronaldinho and Ronaldo. From a branding standpoint, they were still on track.

But the commercial high points were hard to separate from the competitive lows. Sponsorship leverage depends on on-field performance, and Atletico’s early stumble hurt their visibility in later stages of the tournament.

Atletico Madrid Beats Sounders but Fails to Advance

Game two offered a glimmer of hope. Away from California, Atletico took on Seattle Sounders and looked far more composed. Pablo Barrios scored twice in a 3-1 win, lifting spirits and reigniting belief.

Then came another twist. PSG lost to Botafogo, creating a narrow path for Atletico to advance. They needed to beat the Brazilian side by three goals. Anything less would send them home early.

Atletico controlled the ball a bit more against Botafogo but couldn’t penetrate their back line, and it ended 1-0 with an 87′ Griezmann goal—not enough.

On top of that, the PSG game gained a little more ire due to a suspicious VAR call. Atletico finished with six points but still crashed out. Simeone admitted, “We clearly know what we need to improve, but this hurts.”

Transfer Plans and Summer Outlook

Atletico’s early exit stung. Not just competitively, but financially. Reaching the semifinals would have guaranteed at least €40 million in prize money. That loss adds pressure ahead of the summer transfer window.

Atletico has acquired one new face to the club so far: Clement Lenglet. He got a red card on the pitch during the PSG match. Atletico finished 3rd in La Ligavand was a semifinal loser in the Copa del Rey.

They need transfers; they’re looking at Jonny Cardoso from Real Betis, Cristian Romero from Tottenham, and Alex Baena from Villarreal. None will come cheap. Missing out on Club World Cup prize money and broader exposure may limit their options.

A Missed Chance

Atletico’s journey to the U.S. sought to upset the competitive balance—Atletico hoped to show that they could operate on a commercially and competitively equivalent level to Madrid and Barcelona. But their journey ended too soon. A heavy loss to PSG and a narrow win over Botafogo wasn’t the script they had planned.

They walked away with memorable moments and branding experiments, but without the money, the impact, or the prestige. Therefore, for a club that relies on international awareness to support its branding efforts, this early exit was an unfortunate turn of events. It was a missed opportunity that could have consequences for its short-term competitive and financial outlook.