Latest news with #Fluminense
Japan Today
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Japan Today
More than 1 million empty seats for Club World Cup group stage. Knockout rounds up next
Seats are empty during the Club World Cup Group F soccer match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Fluminense in Miami Gardens, Fla., Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) soccer By RONALD BLUM and JAMES ROBSON After a group stage played in front of more than 1 million empty seats, the Club World Cup moves on to knockout rounds that could soon resemble a Champions League clone. Nine teams that advanced to the round of 16 are from Europe along with four from Brazil and one each from Major League Soccer, Mexico and Saudi Arabia. About 56.7% of publicly listed capacity was filled for the 48 group stage matches, which included crowds of 3,412 and 6,730 in Orlando, Florida; 5,282 and 8,239 in Cincinnati. FIFA did not provide specific capacities for the tournament despite repeated requests from The Associated Press. Total announced attendance was 1.67 million from 2.95 million capacity, an average of 34,759. Just 44.9% was filled for five matches at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the site of next year's World Cup final, and 50% at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, where the 1994 championship game was played. Among other 2026 sites, 81.8% of capacity was filled in Miami Gardens, Florida, 61.6% in Philadelphia, 52% in Seattle and 44.3% in Atlanta. FIFA spokesman Bryan Swanson did not respond to a request for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to discuss the tournament and attendance. FIFA issued a statement that said: 'The appetite of the tournament speaks for itself: fans from 168 countries have already purchased tickets ... a clear sign of global anticipation and reach.' The 12 games televised with English commentary on TNT, TBS and truTV averaged 360,000 viewers through Monday, including 409,000 for seven matches on nights and weekends. The second round opens Saturday with an all-Brazilian matchup of Palmeiras and Botafogo, followed by Chelsea-Benfica later in the day. Sunday starts with the high-profile meeting of Inter Miami and Lionel Messi against European champion Paris Saint-Germain and is followed by Bayern Munich-Flamengo. Inter Milan-Fluminese and Manchester City-Al Hilal are on Monday, and Real Madrid-Juventus and Borussia Dortmund-Monterrey on Tuesday. European teams won 16 of the 17 previous editions of an eight-team Club World Cup, the lone exception a 2012 victory by Brazil's Corinthians over Chelsea. Manchester City is the only team that went 3-0 in the group stage. Five of the 12 stadiums being used are sites for next year's World Cup, which will have 104 matches instead of 64 and many more games lacking prestigious teams and players. There were five weather delays in the Club World Cup group stage and temperatures at times rose well over 90 degrees (32 Celsius), a sign that climate change could impact next year's World Cup. However, four of the stadiums for next year's tournament have roofs and climate control. Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, among soccer's top stars, didn't play a minute of the group stage, having been hospitalized and treated for acute gastroenteritis. He drew attention this week when the Paris prosecutor's office said he filed a moral harassment case against PSG, his former club. 'I don't want to be optimistic and get ahead of myself, but we need him because he's a top player, one of the best in the world. We hope he's back soon,' Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said Thursday. Messi, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner who turned 38 on Tuesday, has helped Miami reach the knockout phase with moments of brilliance. He hit the goal frame twice in the opening draw against Al Ahly, then scored his 68th free kick goal for club and country in the 2-1 win over Porto. Next up is the game against PSG, Messi's team from 2021-23. All four entrants from Brazil have advanced to the round of 16, with Botafogo beating PSG 1-0 in a matchup of current European and South American champions. Flamengo, Palmeiras and Fluminense are also through to the next stage. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Miami Herald
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Fluminense advances with draw vs. Mamelodi Sundowns
Fluminense made it a perfect four-for-four among Brazilian sides at the FIFA Club World Cup, clinching their place in the last 16 with a 0-0 draw against Mamelodi Sundowns on Wednesday in Miami Gardens, Florida. Fábio made three saves to keep a clean sheet and seal a second-place finish in Group F for Fluminense behind Borussia Dortmund, who earned a 1-0 win over Ulsan HD in a simultaneous match in Cincinnati, Ohio. But in truth, the Rio de Janeiro side looked comfortable for most of the final hour, knowing a point would be enough to seal a meeting Monday in Charlotte, North Carolina, against the Group E winner. That team will be decided later Wednesday, with Inter Milan, River Plate and CF Monterrey all in the running. Mamelodi Sundowns became the last of four African representatives in the competition eliminated, though Wydad AC still have a match left to play. They were held scoreless for the first time in the tournament after nearly coming back from three goals down in their 4-3 defeat to Dortmund on Saturday. Wednesday's match followed Fluminense's Brazilian colleagues Palmeiras, Botafogo and Flamengo all sealing their place in the last 16 earlier in the group stage. Meanwhile, Sundowns entered as the final hope for an African representative in the knockout phase, with Al Ahly, Esperance de Tunis and Wydad AC all eliminated. But Sundowns had the first quality chance when Tashreeq Matthews ran onto Lucas Ribeiro Costa's defense-splitting diagonal ball into the penalty area. Fabio sprung quickly from his line and ultimately smothered Matthews' eighth-minute effort. Fluminense grew into the game later in the half. Jhon Arias dragged an effort from the right side of the penalty wide of the left post in the 36th minute. Five minutes later, Nonato fired a half-volley wide of the same upright following a set piece. After the break, German Cano reached Arias' excellent dipping cross to the near post. But his 58th-minute volley struck the woodwork as Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams could only look on. Williams finished with no saves as none of Fluminense's shot attempts were on frame. --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2025 - All Rights Reserved
New York Post
11 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Post
How Brazil's teams — and their exuberant fans — are defining Club World Cup
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change. The South American clubs taking part in the FIFA Club World Cup have been one of the tournament's biggest stories on and off the pitch. On it, Brazilians clubs have shocked some of European soccer's best — Botafogo toppled French powerhouse PSG before Flamengo took down England's Chelsea — and off of it, supporters of teams such as Palmeiras and Fluminense have fueled an exciting atmosphere for the reconfigured tournament. It has put a spotlight on the passion South Americans have for their clubs and how the support has helped propel their teams during the Club World Cup. 6 Botafogo players celebrate a goal during a win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup on June 19, 2025. REUTERS At MetLife Stadium, Palmeiras fans packed the sections behind the net, chanting throughout the match while waving banners and flags. And the party continued during a weather delay during one match with fans packing the concourse, banging drums and continuing to chant. Similar scenes played out in stadiums across the United States during the group stage of the Club World Cup. Away from the field, fans turned local landmarks into soccer hubs — it went viral when Palmeiras fans taking over Times Square the night before the tournament. All four of the Brazilian clubs — including Palmeiras and Fluminense, which each played a pair of games at MetLife Stadium during the group stage — advanced to the knockout round beginning Saturday. The turn of events has shocked some, but Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola hardly seemed surprised about the atmosphere the fans have created or about the results on the pitch. 6 Fans of Brazilian club Palmeiras pack the stands at MetLife Stadium for a Club World Cup match on June 19, 2025. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters 'I love when I see Botafogo, all the Brazilian teams, Argentinian teams, how they celebrate, how they are together, I love them,' Guardiola told reporters recently. 'I like how all the games are tight, except one or two, and people are surprised, European teams lose. … Welcome to the real world, my friends.' The strong support has been bolstered by fans willing to travel to the United States to follow their favorite clubs, along with a strong base of support already in North America. Palmeiras, for example, has a club-recognized group called Palmeiras Consulate in New York, which has organized a number of events since the start of the Club World Cup earlier this month. 6 Palmeiras forward Jose Manuel Lopez celebrates with teammates after scoring against Egypt's Al-Ahly in the Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium on June 19, 2025. AFP via Getty Images Adriano Branco helped create the group two years ago after he relocated from Brazil to the New York area for work. In a conversation with The Post, he called helping to bring together so many fans from so many backgrounds a 'rewarding experience.' 'I'm having the time of my life to see people that are in the U.S. [and] have never left the U.S. as their first time watching a [Palmeiras] match,' he said. 'I could see a lot of supporters crying, from the emotion of being in the atmosphere of the stadium. And I can tell you that what you saw at the stadium here is the same as you would see in Brazil if you were there in a big match. 'For me, I was telling friends, I don't think I've ever been that happy in my life with everything that's happening surrounding Palmeiras here in New York.' 6 Botafogo coach Renato Paiva. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Branco hasn't been surprised by the support the South American clubs have had — Palmeiras in particular — but the sheer number of fans that have shown up has been eye-opening. He estimated that 30,000 of the 45,000 fans announced for Palmeiras' first match against Porto on June 15 had been there to support the Brazilian side. 'To be honest, I was not surprised [about the enthusiasm], but I was surprised at the size, at the quantity,' he said. 6 Brazil's Fluminense was backed by fans young and old at a Club World Cup match at MetLife Stadium on June 21, 2025. REUTERS The Club World Cup has allowed other fans to come together as well. Egyptian side Al Ahly also saw a sizable turnout of supported during their stint in the tournament and fans praising the unity the games created. 'It's incredible,' said Flobatir Abdou, who drove down from Massachusetts to see Al Ahly face Palmeiras last week. 'Coming from Egypt, soccer is one thing that unites everybody together and having everybody support the same club, same badge, it's a whole [different] feeling, especially in a stadium like this with a team like this, and a moment like this.' 'I met a lot of people from Miami, Orlando, New York, New Jersey. It's a lot of people from different states coming together,' said a Palmeiras fan who identified himself as Guilerme. 6 Palmeiras' Mauricio celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates on June 23. REUTERS The Club World Cup Round of 16 begins Saturday with an all-Brazilian clash between Palmeiras and Botafogo in Philadelphia. Sunday's slate includes a showdown between Lionel Messi's Inter Miami and his former club PSG, as well as Brazil's Flamengo taking on Bayern Munich. All matches are streaming for free on DAZN.
Telegraph
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Inter Milan vs Fluminense predictions: Club World Cup tips and odds
Our expert has three tips for Monday's Club World Cup round-of-16 tie between Inter Milan and Fluminense at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte (kick-off, 8pm BST). We think that the Brazilian club could make life difficult for the European giants. Inter Milan vs Fluminense tips Draw @ 5/2 with talkSPORT BET Under 0.5 goals after 30 minutes @ 1/1 with talkSPORT BET Fluminense most corners @ 9/4 with talkSPORT BET Odds courtesy of talkSPORT BET. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change. Already a talkSPORT BET member? Check out more free bets from the best betting sites, reviewed by our experts. Extra time beckons in Charlotte Fluminense are arguably the weakest of the Brazilian clubs involved at the Club World Cup, but they appear to be a side aware of their limitations who have made themselves hard to beat. They held Borussia Dortmund to a 0-0 draw in their opening game and, after a 4-2 win over Ulsan HD, then shared another goalless draw with Mamelodi Sundowns. Inter's points have not come easily. They had to come from behind both to draw with Monterey and beat Urawa Red Diamonds, and they didn't score in their 2-0 win over River Plate until the opposition had been reduced to 10 men. Everything points to this one being tight and I'm taking a chance on this match going into extra time. Early goals look unlikely Given that two of Fluminense's three games have finished goalless, it's unsurprising that the bookies are expecting this to be a low-scoring match, with under 2.5 goals priced at 13/20. Of Inter's five goals in this tournament, only one has come in the first half of a match and even that was scored in the 42nd minute. I'm backing these trends to continue and for the score to be 0-0 after 30 minutes. Fluminense can corner market Corners markets are often priced similarly to the match results markets, seemingly without too much analysis of the respective statistics. The fact that Fluminense took the most corners when they faced Borussia Dortmund has caught my eye, the Brazilians winning seven to three for the Germans. Both Fluminense and Inter have conceded 11 corners in this tournament, but the South Americans have taken 20 compared with the Italians' 13. That suggests that there should be some value in the 9/4 available for the unexpected result in the most corners market. Fluminense vs Inter Milan odds All odds courtesy of talkSPORT BET. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
The Guardian
16 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Brazilian teams have excelled at the Club World Cup. How far can they go?
'Many people didn't believe this would happen. It is happening,' said Fluminense manager Renato Gaúcho as he reflected on the performances of the Brazilian teams at the Club World Cup. With Fluminense, Palmeiras, Botafogo and Flamengo all on their way to the last 16, Renato said that Brazilian football and people should be 'very proud' of what their clubs have done in the US. The results in the group stage were impressive. Botafogo beat European champions Paris Saint-Germain; Flamengo won convincingly against Chelsea; and the only defeat for a Brazilian team – when Botafogo lost to Atlético Madrid – came when they had an eye on the knockout stage. In all, they played 12 games, lost one and only conceded nine goals. The last 16 kicks off on Saturday, with Botafogo v Palmeiras in Philadelphia. The tie resumes a rivalry that has been at the forefront of Brazilian football in recent years. While it's not an historic conflict or one based on geographical proximity, the clubs have been at loggerheads as they have battled for the Brasileirão title. Consider it a Brazilian version of the Manchester City v Liverpool rivalry – but with a bit more spice. In 2023, Botafogo built up a 15-point lead in the title race but started to fritter it away. By the time they met Palmeiras towards the end of the campaign, their lead was down to six points. Botafogo raced into a 3-0 lead in their crunch match but Endrick inspired a 4-3 comeback. In the end, Palmeiras denied Botafogo the title and snatched it for themselves. Afterwards, Botafogo's majority owner John Textor went on a rampage, accusing Palmeiras of corruption. Leila Pereira, the Palmeiras president, called Textor's accusations 'irresponsible and criminal' and dubbed him the 'embarrassment of Brazilian football'. The feud between the two leaders is one of the biggest subplots before their match on Saturday, with rival fans telling Botafogo supporters to enjoy themselves before Textor sinks their club à la Lyon. Botafogo recovered from their heartbreak in 2024, becoming just the fourth team in history to do a league and Libertadores double. To make their revenge even sweeter, they eliminated Palmeiras in the last 16. They have struggled in the league this season though, especially after losing their best players in Luiz Henrique and Thiago Almada (who is on loan at one of Textor's other clubs, Lyon), as well as their manager. So their success at the Club World Cup – including that standout victory against PSG – has come as a welcome surprise. We've been talking to their defender Vitinho – who spent a few years at Burnley – and he is feeling confident. 'We have a very strong team, we know our potential and we never stopped believing,' he says. 'As long as we have a chance, we will fight to the fullest. We worked hard, we believed and we achieved our goal, which was to qualify from the group stage. We knew we would face a very tough team in the round of 16. It will be like that until the end. We have had great duels against Palmeiras in recent years, memorable moments for both teams, and this will be another very important game for both clubs.' On the other side of the rivalry, Palmeiras goalkeeper Weverton says he and his teammates have been preparing for the Club World Cup for a long time and are satisfied with their performances so far. 'It was a good start, we're on the right track,' he said. 'This competition, playing against the best teams in the world, is a great opportunity for everyone to show their worth. And the Brazilian teams are doing it very well. It is up to us to maintain this level and improve, because the pressure will only increase. We have great opportunities to advance in the competition.' He knows that Botafogo will be tough opponents. 'A Brazilian confrontation is always difficult because you know the characteristics of the players, but at this point you can't choose your opponents. It will be difficult for Palmeiras, as it will be difficult for Botafogo; they are two great teams. Brazilian football has won here; we will have a Brazilian team in the quarter-finals. This values our football.' Flamengo, the current league leaders in Brazil, have been dealt a tough draw in the last 16, where they face Bayern Munich. Having won their group, it looked as though Flamengo would play Benfica or Boca Juniors in the last 16 but Vincent Kompany's decision to rest players against Benfica backfired on Bayern – and Flamengo. The winner of their last-16 tie will meet Paris Saint-Germain or Inter Miami in the quarter-finals then possibly Real Madrid in the semis. Focusing on the first task in hand, club icon Zico joked that 'we have an advantage, because we've only ever played one game against Bayern and it was 3-1 to Flamengo'. He's not referring to a past Intercontinental Cup, though, but rather a match at the Kuala Lumpur International Tournament in 1994. Flamengo were awarded $20,000 for that victory. The stakes will be far higher in Miami on Sunday night. Flamengo manager Filipe Luís is full of respect for Bayern, calling them 'dominant', a 'colossus' with 'an extraordinary squad' and 'an excellent coach' and one of the top tier of European clubs that are above anything South America can offer. 'They're a club that inspires us and gives us ideas to copy, but in a game anything can happen,' he added. Filipe Luís knows Flamengo face an uphill battle but he wants his team to keep their identity and, if they are to go out, to do so on their own shield. 'Flamengo's DNA requires you try to take the ball away from the opponent, try to press, control the game and be as vertical as possible,' he said. 'That is what we will try to do. We know their quality and the way they play. They will try to impose their rhythm, and we will try to do the same. In the end, may the best team win.' Some Flamengo fans have taken umbrage with what they perceive to be Bayern rolling over for Benfica and settling for second place. It's a strategy Fluminense appeared to adopt as well. They rested players and drew with Mamelodi Sundowns, perhaps as a means of playing either River Plate or Monterrey in the last 16. With Dortmund and Inter winning, though, and Fluminense picking up just a point, the 2023 Libertadores winners will now face Inter. 'Now, there is no easy game,' says their manager Renato, who has also echoed the idea that knockout football is about more than money. 'It's no use having a team of 500m, football is on the field,' he said. Fluminense have their own veterans, such as Thiago Silva at the heart of their defence, but perhaps it's the perfect moment to pounce on a crestfallen and ageing Inter side after their hammering against PSG. This is an article by Tom Sanderson and Josué Seixas
