2017 is the second time the team has faced the world. From 2007 to 2017, Japanese teams have participated in four tournaments as the "host country" but Urawa Reds will once again participate as the "Asian champions". This will be the first time that Japanese teams have participated in the FIFA Club World Cup held overseas. Ten years ago, the tournament was a sure success, but this tournament was bittersweet. Although they had hoped to play against Real Madrid, the European champions and also known as the world's number one team, they lost in the quarterfinals to Al Jazira, who participated in the tournament held in the UAE as the host country. After that, they beat African representative Wydad Casablanca to finish in fifth place, but it was a disappointing result. However, the lessons and experiences they gained from this tournament - focusing on Trial in front of them instead of thinking too much about the future, and never overestimating or underestimating any opponent - have been passed down as the club's assets even as members and staff have changed, leading to their third Asian championship and third world challenge.
In 2007, the Reds took on the world as a club and as a Japanese team for the first time. The FIFA Club World Cup, which changed from a "world championship" that only featured European and South American champions to a match between continental champions, had been held twice in Japan before, but J-League clubs had not been able to participate. This was their first challenge to this world tournament as the Asian champions who had won the AFC Champions League (ACL). Their first quarterfinal opponent was Iran's Sepahan, who was participating as a substitute for the host country. They won the rematch against the opponent who was also their opponent in the ACL final, 3-1. Their semifinal opponent was AC Milan, the European champions who gathered players from various countries. The Reds took on the world's top opponents head-on, and even took control of Trial for a period of time. But they still lost 0-1. While feeling the barriers of the world, they realized that competing with the world is not a dream, and made it known to Japan. In the subsequent third-place match, they defeated the African team Etoile Sahel in a penalty shootout, finishing the tournament in third place in the world, after Europe and South America.
