Al Ain are the 32nd and final team we preview ahead of the FIFA World Club Cup.
Here, you’ll find the Emirati club’s top goalscorers and leading assist-makers, a rough predicted XI and our pick of their players for the tournament’s official Fantasy game – if you think they can be anything other than cannon fodder for Juventus and Manchester City, of course…
AL AIN: OVERVIEW
Al Ain qualified for the Club World Cup by winning the 2023/24 AFC Champions League, defeating Yokohama F. Marinos 6-3 over a two-legged final.
Recent performances haven’t been great, however.
The team struggled in the 2024/25 AFC Champions League and were unable to win any of their eight matches. They finished fifth in the UAE’s domestic league, too, which led to the dismissal of coach Hernan Crespo back in November.
Now, with former Watford manager Vladimir Ivic at the helm, they head to America with realistic expectations.
That’s because Al Ain’s group features European heavyweights Man City and Juventus, plus relative minnows Wydad Casablanca.
It’s therefore pretty difficult to see an outcome other than City and the Old Lady reaching the knockouts.
GROUP FIXTURES
BOOKIES’ PREDICTIONS
| To Qualify | To Win Group | |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester City | 91.8% | 64.6% |
| Wydad Casablanca | 7.2% | 1.8% |
| Al Ain | 17.4% | 3.5% |
| Juventus | 83.6% | 30.1% |
LEAGUE NUMBERS
GOALS
- Kodjo Laba ($6.2m, FWD) – 20
- Soufiane Rahimi ($6.0m, FWD) – 11
ASSISTS
- Alejandro Romero ($5.6m, MID) – 9
- Bandar Al Ahbabi ($5.1m, MID) – 7
- Erik ($4.9m, DEF) – 5
SET-PIECE TAKERS
PENALTIES
- Kodjo Laba ($6.2m, FWD)
- Soufiane Rahimi ($6.0m, FWD)
- Alejandro Romero ($5.6m, MID)
CORNERS + FREE KICKS
- Alejandro Romero ($5.6m, MID)
TOP FANTASY PICKS
Kodjo Laba ($6.2m) – FWD
Alejandro Romero ($5.6m) – MID
Soufiane Rahimi ($6.0m, FWD)
Togolese international Kodjo Laba ended the 2024/25 campaign as the UAE Pro League Golden Boot winner, with 20 goals.
Scoring at a rate of 1.07 goals per 90, his output merits attention, but at 33, it’s hard to see him disrupting Man City and Juventus’ backlines too much.
Still, 5.5 shots per 90 in 2024/25 is a very decent rate.
Meanwhile, former New York Red Bulls star Alejandro Romero, nicknamed Kaku, has complemented Kodjo well since his arrival in 2023.
The creator behind strikers Kodjo and Soufiane Rahimi, who scored 11 goals in the domestic league last season, he’s been pretty prolific himself, with 15 goal contributions in 2024/25.
He also takes a share of free-kicks and corners, offering further routes to points.
Defensively, you’d expect Man City and Juventus to expose them, so backline assets are probably best avoided.
EARLY PREDICTED XI
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READ MORE OF OUR FANTASY FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 CONTENT
GROUP A: Mexico | South Africa | Korea Republic | Czechia
GROUP B: Canada | Bosnia & Herzegovina | Qatar | Switzerland
GROUP C: Brazil | Morocco | Haiti | Scotland
GROUP D: USA | Paraguay | Australia | Turkiye
GROUP E: Germany | Curacao | Cote d’Ivoire | Ecuador
GROUP F: Netherlands | Japan | Sweden | Tunisia
GROUP G: Belgium | Egypt | Iran | New Zealand
GROUP H: Spain | Cabo Verde | Saudi Arabia | Uruguay
GROUP I: France | Senegal | Iraq | Norway
GROUP J: Argentina | Algeria | Austria | Jordan
GROUP K: Portugal | DR Congo | Uzbekistan | Colombia
GROUP L: England | Croatia | Ghana | Panama
Round 1 Scout Picks | Round 1 best captains | Round 1 best differentials: | Sleep-friendly XV | Players to avoid | Team reveals | Best players by position + price
Predicted line-ups | Penalty + corner takers | Direct free-kick takers
How to play World Cup 2026 Fantasy | What is ‘Scouting Bonus’? | How to order your starters + subs | Can you captain, transfer or sub 12th Man? | 150 of the best, worst and funniest team names
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