Nigerian midfielder Joshua Udoh witnessed a brutal opening to Al Ain’s FIFA Club World Cup campaign as Juventus delivered a stunning 5-0 defeat on Thursday morning.

Joshua Udoh became the youngest African player to feature in FIFA Club World Cup history at 17 years & 349 days, Footballrover reports.

Joshua Udoh’s late Club World Cup entry

The Nigerian midfielder made his professional debut with a late cameo against the Serie A side.

The Italian giants, making their debut at the FIFA tournament, displayed an unstoppable performance against an Al Ain side that had previously conceded only once in seven games.

From the first whistle, Juventus exploded, with Randal Kolo Muani heading them ahead after just 11 minutes.

Francisco Conceicao added another with a deflected shot, followed by a brilliant long-range strike from Kenan Yildiz.

Kolo Muani then sealed a dominant first half with his second goal just before the break, putting Juventus firmly in control.

Unfortunately for 17-year-old Udoh, he entered the fray too late to impact the score, coming on as a 90th-minute substitute for Soufiane Rahimi.

His Nigerian teammates, Rilwanu Sarki and Hassan Muhammed, weren’t even in the squad.

Juventus’ ruthless Club World Cup debut

Despite Al Ain’s efforts in the second half, Juventus continued their relentless attack.

Conceição bagged his second goal in the 58th minute, capping off a remarkable display.

This crushing victory marked Juventus‘ third consecutive win, a positive sign as they look to continue their form against Wydad AC.

Al Ain’s seven-game winning streak was brought to a decisive end, and their next challenge will be even tougher: a clash with Manchester City on Sunday, June 22.

The Club World Cup also saw Manchester City emerge victorious in their first group match, defeating Wydad 2-0.

Phil Foden and Jeremie Doku were on the scoresheet for City.

Elsewhere, FC Salzburg took an early lead in Group H by overcoming Pachuca 2-1. The same group’s opening fixture featured a 1-1 draw between Real Madrid and Al Hilal.

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Last Updated on June 19, 2025 9:42 am by Sir Kris