The Brazilian league plainly surpasses our Regional Premier League in quality.
Brazilian Blaze in the Club World Cup
In the heart of June 2025, the Club World Championship group stage concluded, and the round of 16 pairings were established. The playoff matches kick off on Saturday, June 28. How did the initial stage of this CWC unfold, now featuring 32 teams for the first time ever? There have been some unexpected twists. Portuguese titans Benfica, for example, were victorious against Chelsea. But the biggest shock, perhaps, came from the surprise exit of the veteran Spanish side Atlético Madrid, while all four Brazilian teams advanced to the next round, leaving quite a stir. Here's a lowdown on the action-packed games.
Botafogo vs Atlético Madrid: The Gladiatorial Clash
The global revolution hasn't completely set in yet, but the football world has been left stunned by the fact that one in four playoff spots belongs to South America's Serie A - an unprecedented number compared to the two-team limit for other countries. Brazil surpassed this limit with aplomb, as all four of its representatives advanced to the round of 16 without a single loss. Could this South American nation now also dominate club football?
A dramatic 1-0 victory by Botafogo against the reigning European Champions League winners PSG marked the turning point, as this underdog team single-handedly prevented Atlético Madrid from reaching the knockout stage.
The Group Standings and the Playoff Bracket
"Палмейрас"
vs
"Ботафого"
28.06, 19:00
The final group standings and club World Cup playoff bracket are as follows:
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5.07, 4:00
Group A: "Palmeiras" (Brazil) and "Inter Miami" (USA) - both with 5 points, "Porto" (Portugal) and "Al Ahly" (Egypt) - both with 2.
"Бенфика"
vs
"Челси"
28.06, 23:00
"Benfica" (Portugal) vs "Chelsea" (England) - 28.06, 23:00
Group B: PSG (France), "Botafogo" (Brazil), "Atletico" (Spain) - all with 6 points, "Seattle" (USA) - 0.
"Интер"
vs
"Флуминенсе"
30.06, 22:00
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4.07, 22:00
Group C: "Benfica" (Portugal) - 7, "Bayern" (Germany) - 6, "Boca Juniors" (Argentina) - 2, "Oakland City" (New Zealand) - 1.
"Манчестер Сити"
vs
"Аль-Хиляль"
1.07, 4:00
"Fluminense" (Brazil) vs "Fulham" (England) - 30.06, 22:00
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Group D: "Flamengo" (Brazil) - 7, "Chelsea" (England) - 6, "Espérance" (Tunisia) - 3, "Los Angeles" (USA) - 1.
"River Plate" (Argentina) vs "Liverpool" (England) - 01.07, 22:00
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ПСЖ
vs
"Интер Майами"
29.06, 19:00
Group E: "Inter" (Italy) - 7, "Monterrey" (Mexico) - 5, "Real Madrid" (Spain) - 4, "Urawa Red Diamonds" (Japan) - 0.
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5.07, 19:00
"Mamelodi Sundowns" (South Africa) vs "Borussia Mönchengladbach" (Germany) - 02.07, 16:00
"Фламенго"
vs
"Бавария"
29.06, 23:00
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Group F: "Borussia Dortmund" (Germany) - 7, "Fluminense" (Brazil) - 5, "Mamelodi Sundowns" (South Africa) - 4, "Ulsan" (South Korea) - 0.
"Боруссия" Д
vs
"Монтеррей"
2.07, 4:00
"Manchester City" (England) vs "Al-Hilal" (Saudi Arabia) - 01.07, 4:00
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5.07, 23:00
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"Реал Мадрид"
vs
"Ювентус"
1.07, 22:00
Group G: "Manchester City" (England) - 9, "Juventus" (Italy) - 6, "Al Ain" (UAE) - 3, "Vidad" (Morocco) - 0.
"Salzburg" (Austria) vs "Pachuca" (Mexico) - 01.07, 22:00
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Group H: "Real Madrid" (Spain) - 7, "Al Hilal" (Saudi Arabia) - 5, "Salzburg" (Austria) - 4, "Pachuca" (Mexico) - 0.
The 1/8 Finals and 1/4 Finals
"Манчестер Сити"
Upper Bracket
"Palmeiras" vs "Botafogo" - 28.06, 19:00
ПСЖ
"Benfica" vs "Chelsea" - 28.06, 23:00
"Inter" vs "Fluminense" - 30.06, 22:00
"Реал Мадрид"
"Manchester City" vs "Al-Hilal" - 01.07, 16:00
Lower Bracket
"Бавария"
PSG vs "Inter Miami" - 29.06, 19:00
"Flamengo" vs "Bayern" - 29.06, 23:00
"Челси"
"Borussia" D vs "Monterrey" - 02.07, 16:00
Real Madrid vs "Juventus" - 01.07, 22:00
"Интер"
Semifinals will take place on 8 and 9 July, the final on 13 July.
Botafogo's Bold Fight Against PSG
"Палмейрас"
Botafogo, despite being the Brazilian champion, lost their coach and several key players, and are not defending their national title this year. However, in the match against PSG and Atlético, the home club of legendary Garrincha was considered an underdog - until their unexpected three points in their match against Europe's strongest team.
The Parisians played the game surprisingly toothless against Botafogo. They spent 90 minutes passing the ball around the penalty area, and the Brazilian team's goal-scoring counterattack in the first half proved decisive - 1:0.
"Боруссия" Д
Botafogo's midfielder Jerson could have made the victory even more decisive if he had finished his attacks more accurately. Meanwhile, PSG's Hvicha Kvaratskhelia regularly threatened the opponent's goal, but the shots on target ratio was reversed - 2:4. Desire Doue doesn't yet resemble the best player of the recent Champions League final, and Usman Dembele is injured - his return is expected only in the playoffs.
The Battle Ahead for Brazilian Clubs
"Фламенго"
As the Brazilian clubs advance, they face tough challenges. In the next round, "Flamengo" faces a demanding game against "Bayern", while "Fluminense" will be tested by the experienced "Inter". The 1/8 will feature nine European teams, with as many as six or seven of them potentially making it to the quarterfinals, transforming the tournament into a summer version of the Champions League. However, Europe won't manage to occupy the entire second round of the playoffs, as "Botafogo" drew their compatriots from "Palmeiras" in the cup draw, so we'll definitely see at least one Brazilian club among the top 8.
1.Bookmakers are predicting an intense battle in the 1/8 finals, particularly between Botafogo and Benfica, as both teams have shown impressive performances in the Club World Cup.
- The football world is abuzz with the possibility of a Brazilian dominance in club football, with all four Brazilian teams, including Botafogo and Flamengo, progressing to the round of 16 without a single loss, leaving quite a stir.
