sportbible homepage
sportbible homepage
  • Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • World Cup
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Manchester United
    • Liverpool
    • Arsenal
    • Real Madrid
    • Barcelona
  • Formula 1
    • Red Bull
    • Ferrari
    • McLaren
    • Mercedes
    • Max Verstappen
    • Lewis Hamilton
    • Lando Norris
    • George Russell
    • Charles Leclerc
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • More Sport
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • NBA
    • NFL
    • Darts
    • Athletics
    • Rugby
    • Wrestling
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Snapchat
TikTok
Threads
YouTube
Submit Your Content Here
  • LADbible
  • Tyla
  • GAMINGbible
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • FOODbible
  • UNILAD Tech
Fans in total disbelief after seeing what the Club World Cup has renamed 'Player of the Match' to
Home>Football>Football News
Published 10:42 15 Jun 2025 GMT+1

Fans in total disbelief after seeing what the Club World Cup has renamed 'Player of the Match' to

Inter Miami kicked off the Club World Cup tournament but fans have noticed a big change

Marcus Banks

Marcus Banks

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

The Club World Cup officially kicked off on Sunday and fans couldn’t help but notice what the player of the match award was renamed.

FIFA’s revamped club competition started in the United States with Inter Miami taking on Egypt’s Al Ahly.

Lionel Messi hit the post with a free-kick and also struck the bar with a shot from long-range but neither side were able to break the deadlock.

The MLS side had their 38-year-old goalkeeper Oscar Ustari to thank for keeping them in the game with the shot stopper making a number of key saves as well as denying former Aston Villa forward Trezeguet from the penalty spot.

Advert

Unsurprisingly, Ustari was named player of the match but fans have been left baffled when seeing the name of the post-game award.

A graphic on the broadcast revealed Ustari had won the ‘Superior Player of the Match award’ and fans couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

One fan wrote: “What on earth is a ‘superior player of the match’”

A second said: “Games gone mate.”

Another added: “I can imagine this while the tournament is going to be full of nonsense and embarrassment.”

A fourth said: “Utter woke nonsense.”

Oscar Ustari with the award (
Club World Cup)

Why is the player of the match award named differently?

Typically in US sports, the best player is awarded the player of the match award or named MVP rather than being classed as the man of the match.

For the Club World Cup, the name ‘Superior Player of the Match’ is a result of a sponsorship agreement with American beer brand Michelob ULTRA.

The slogan for the company’s beer is ‘Superior Light Beer’ hence the naming of the player of the match awards at the Club World Cup.

The same name was used at the 2024 Copa America tournament in the US where Michelob were the primary sponsor of the award.

When is Inter Miami’s next game at the Club World Cup?

Messi is back in action on Thursday June 19 against Portuguese side FC Porto. They will conclude the Club World Cup group stage against Brazilian opposition Palmeiras.

Should they progress as winners of runners up in Group A, they face the prospect of facing Messi’s former side and Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.

The reunion could prove to be eventful with the Argentine refusing to congratulate the French champions on winning their first European trophy after a spiky exit from the club in 2023.

Featured Image Credit: Getty

Topics: Inter Miami, Lionel Messi, Football

Marcus Banks
Marcus Banks

Marcus Banks is a social media editor for SPORTbible. He previously worked for publications such as the Liverpool Echo, Daily Mirror, Manchester Evening News and Dexerto. Specialises in football and MMA.

X

@MarcusBanksX

Recommended reads

Former Man Utd No.2 suggests only reason Michael Carrick would not get the full-time jobGetty ImagesVinnie Jones ‘would love’ for rags to riches life story to be made into movie as he talks Netflix documentaryNetflixMan Utd's 15 transfer targets to fill four key positions as at least six prepare to leaveGetty ImagesDennis Taylor interview: Why snooker legend is playing in brand-new event... and how he saved someone's lifeGetty

Advert

  • Lionel Messi 'breaks' FIFA protocol after Inter Miami's win over Porto and no other player has got away with it at the Club World Cup
  • Why every Club World Cup game kick-off time has been delayed so far
  • Lionel Messi aimed public dig at PSG as Inter Miami set up awkward Club World Cup reunion
  • Bombshell report on Lionel Messi's future at Inter Miami drops after Club World Cup exit and it changes everything

Choose your content:

an hour ago
2 hours ago
  • Getty Images
    an hour ago

    Man Utd make unprecedented decision over their 2026/27 kit

    United have already made a significant decision over their 2026/27 kit.

    Football
  • Getty Images
    an hour ago

    Real Madrid decide punishment as Valverde hospitalised with cut after Tchouameni fight

    The club have acted quickly after a fight between the two stars broke out.

    Football
  • Getty
    an hour ago

    World Cup final ticket is selling for £8.5 million despite having one of the worst seats in the stadium

    The standard match ticket has been priced at a staggering price despite having no additional perks for the World Cup final.

    Football
  • Getty
    2 hours ago

    Real Madrid player goes to hospital after altercation with teammate as emergency meeting called

    Tensions in the Real Madrid camp have reached an all-time high ahead of El Clasico with Barcelona.

    Football