Club America (pictured) gathers for a photo prior to its Liga MX Apertura semifinal, second-leg match on December 4, 2016, in Mexico City. (Photo: Luis Licona/Straffon Images)
MEXICO CITY – Club America departed Mexico City on Monday with a 23-man squad, heading to Japan via Houston, for its third-ever appearance in the FIFA Club World Cup (FCWC).
The roster is highlighted by 13 players who played in one or both of the legs in the 2015/16 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League final triumph over Tigres, including midfielder Rubens Sambueza – the tournament’s Golden Ball winner.
The Aguilas will open the competition Sunday in the second round against Asian Football Confederation champion Jeonbuk Hyundai of Korea Republic in Osaka. The winner of that encounter will face Real Madrid in the semifinals.
Club America is 2W-0D-3L in five all-time FCWC games, finishing as high as fourth in 2006.
ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS: Hugo Gonzalez, Jonathan Leon, Moises Muñoz
DEFENDERS: Pablo Aguilar, Ventura Alvarado, Edson Alvarez, Gil Buron, Paolo Goltz, Osmar Mares, Erik Pimentel, Miguel Samudio, Bruno Valdez
MIDFIELDERS: William Da Silva, Javier Guemez, Jose Guerrero, Renato Ibarra, Osvaldo Martinez, Rubens Sambueza
FORWARDS: Michael Arroyo, Oribe Peralta, Carlos Darwin Quintero, Silvio Romero, Carlos Rosel