Private beach & ‘homely’ hotel – inside Man City’s Club World Cup camp

Manchester City have enjoyed themselves both on and off the pitch, making it to the last 16 of the American Club World Cup, but the weather is expected to get hotter.

City are the only team in Orlando to have a 100% winning record, but the hard work will begin on Tuesday when they face Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.

The Premier League team already appears to be much happier and, unforgettably, a more dangerous outfit than they were last term despite a miserable 2024-25 campaign that manager Pep Guardiola and his men endured without winning a major trophy.

City made the decision to establish a base at the opulent Boca Raton Resort on the south-eastern coast of Florida rather than travel around with luggage.

A night at the hotel, which has a private beach, costs $715 (£521), and offers significant wealth.

The resort is described on Boca Raton’s website as a place where “the extraordinary inspires endless possibilities.” The title of the City team’s song is rather poetic for a City side that has won four consecutive Premier League titles and the Treble three years ago. However, last season, the City side hit the buffers in large part because of a lengthy injury list.

The defending champions appear rejuvenated and ready to take control of the world once more.

The City players and staff’s faces have been brightened by three straight victories against Moroccan side Wydad AC, UAE team Al-Ain, and Serie A giant Juventus, which have each scored 13 goals.

The team has flown in and out of their matches in Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Orlando before returning to a well-known resort base where their families have been permitted to stay.

According to insiders, this has created a “homely feeling,” where the players dine together on a terrace with a view to the ocean.

Even taskmaster Guardiola has had a bangabout with his players on the beach, and the 27-member traveling party has been given the opportunity to let their hair down.

In their spare time, the team has played table tennis and basketball, though Silva joked that Erling Haaland, one of the team’s stars, is “looking like a lobster” in the 30C heat.

Guardiola told BBC Sport, “The end of the season was very emotionally demanding.” It didn’t deliver the best results or consistency.

I made the decision to continue with the players’ good training while allowing them to unwind. They can play golf, use the pool, take a day off, or spend time with their families. Otherwise, the mentality would be so challenging.

“It’s fresh in the training sessions, not using up energy before the games because it would be so difficult,” he said.

Some athletes won for their national teams without taking any vacations. It keeps people at their current levels of fitness and relaxes. We have 11 months to go, and I’ve given them that.

Four new signings have seamlessly integrated into the set-up, replacing both the playing staff and the backroom staff before the tournament.

Tijjani Reijnders will bring a clear energy to the midfield while Rayan Ait-Nouri has already demonstrated his credentials at left-back, and Rayan Cherki has scored his first goal for the club. Pep Lijnders, Juve’s former right-hand man, is also settling in as Guardiola’s new assistant.

The new additions “have given everyone a boost” and “brought a lot of energy,” according to defender Nathan Ake, while midfielder Ilkay Gundogan claimed there have been many “jokes” and “banter” from them.

Champions League champions Paris St-Germain, Real Madrid, and Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich all featured in the top group, which meant City’s victory over the rest of the draw was crucial for them.

Statistics Opta, behind the brilliant PSG, have appointed them as second-favourites to win the trophy in New York thanks to City’s serene progression.

Guardiola and Enrique’s former Barcelona teammates would meet if both sides advanced.

The Club World Cup will begin its campaign as soon as the last Premier League game in May, blurring the lines between whether it will be a continuation of the previous term or whether it will be the start of a new campaign.

A shortened pre-season with little rest ahead of the opening league game against Wolves on August 13 would result in a 13-day deadline for the final.

However, Guardiola insists that the Club World Cup is a “clean chapter,” and goalkeeper Stefan Ortega added that they are not taking a vacation.

“Wining is the goal of City in any competition.” That is the club’s current status, said Ferran Soriano, the organization’s chief executive officer.

The large, yellow-lettered state-specific billboards along Route 4 near Camping World Stadium state, “Win or go home!”