In the second match of Group C of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025TM, the match between Benfica and Auckland City not only attracted attention because of the heavy score of 6-0, but also because of the players' fierce reactions when they were not satisfied with the decision of the head coach and the professional department.
The most notable situation belonged to Benfica midfielder Orkun Kokcu. In the 61st minute, when the Portuguese team was leading 2-0, coach Bruno Lage decided to take Kokcu off the field to replace him with Renato Sanches.
Although the home team has the advantage, Kokcu is still upset with this decision. He left the field in an unsatisfied mood, walking and complaining, ignoring the handshake from the captain.
Just 1 minute later, Sanches - who replaced Kokcu - scored to increase the score to 3-0. Lage immediately approached Kokcu, covered his mouth and discussed with him, saying that he understood the situation and that change was tactically necessary.
However, instead of calming down, Kokcu continued to get hot, stood up, raised his voice at the head coach and pointed at his angry face. Teammate Kerem Akturkoglu immediately took action to prevent the situation from escalating.
After the match, coach Lage spoke up to calm the matter when he affirmed that he was the one who had the final responsibility for the tactics and had to make a decision based on the actual situation.
He also praised Kokcu for always playing and living professionally, saying that this player's reaction came from his desire to contribute more.
In this match, a similar incident happened on Auckland City's side. At the end of the first half, defender Tong Zhou was hit in the head strongly and the medical team requested to perform a brain contusion test according to regulations.
However, Zhou refused to leave the pitch, reacting strongly to the doctor and demanding that he was fine. The referee was forced to ask him to go outside to check. After a few tense minutes, Zhou was allowed to return to the field to continue playing, but after the break, he was withdrawn by Gerrard Garriga.
The players' strong reactions at this Club World Cup show that in addition to expertise, pressure and emotions are also an indispensable part of top-notch football.
