Fluminense: The challenger to the rest of the world
In a fiery group stage where Brazilian teams have consistently shocked European opposition, Fluminense have been the least talked about side. Drawn in a relatively easy group, they won 4-2 against Ulsan HD and drew 0-0 with both Borussia Dortmund and Mamelodi Sundowns.
Not creating shocking results like defeating PSG or Chelsea like other Brazilian teams, but Fluminense still continued with second place in Group F and luckily fell into an easier bracket.
Fluminense's semi-final appearance, however, was not a fluke. They beat Inter Milan in the round of 16, before overcoming Al Hilal, the team that caused the biggest shock of the tournament by eliminating Man City.
Fluminense's style of play is highly collective. Midfielder Hercules is the team's top scorer with 2 goals, while 6 other players have scored one goal each. Jhon Arias, despite only having 1 goal and 1 assist, leads the team in shots (13) and chances created (17).
Fluminense are also the most effective defensive team in the league with the lowest "expected goals conceded" ratio in the league. Veteran goalkeeper Fabio continues to prove his class with excellent saves, ranking second among the remaining goalkeepers.
Facing Chelsea will be the biggest test of the tournament so far, but Fluminense have gone further than any team outside Europe. They are a living testament to FIFA's global ambition: to deliver a tournament full of diversity and surprises.
Chelsea: Ready to reach the top
After the stumble against Flamengo in a match in which Nicolas Jackson was sent off, many questioned Chelsea's stability. The mistakes seen in the Premier League seemed to be repeating themselves. But coach Enzo Maresca's team rose to the occasion, beating Benfica and Palmeiras to book a place in the semi-finals.
However, there are still many things that make The Blues fans worry. Cole Palmer, the second most shot taker in the league (16), has only scored 1 goal. His efficiency is quite low with only 0.06 xG (expected goal) per shot.
The positive sign is that Chelsea are diversifying their playing style. Pedro Neto leads the team in chances created (10), ahead of Palmer, Enzo Fernández and Cucurella. The defense has also shown marked improvement, with Chelsea conceding an average of 7.6 shots per game, sixth in the league.
One notable point: Chelsea are the team that uses short corners more often than any other team in the league, twice as many as the second-placed team. These small combinations at the corners help them stretch the opposition defence and maintain possession, rather than leaving the ball up to traditional crosses.
The FIFA Club World Cup is not only a trophy but also a springboard for the second season under coach Maresca. And with current form, the 2021 champions have every reason to dream of another final.
Real Madrid: A familiar face
After a turbulent 2024/25 season, the FIFA Club World Cup is a golden opportunity for Real Madrid to realize coach Xabi Alonso's tactical vision without having to endure too much pressure to achieve results.
However, “reconstruction” has never been the identity of the Royal team. Even in the transition period, they are still familiar championship candidates.
The defence has been bolstered by the arrivals of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen, but the focus has been on Gonzalo Garcia. The 21-year-old was initially seen as a back-up to Kylian Mbappe, but has scored four goals in five games - the same as Angel Di Maria and Marcos Leonardo - and is now a serious contender for the Golden Boot.
The midfield continues to be Federico Valverde's stage. Meanwhile, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham lead the team in chances created (8), while Thibaut Courtois remains a safe stopper, emerging as one of the best goalkeepers in the league.
Real Madrid did, however, show some glaring weaknesses. They rarely fouled after losing possession, with just 2.9% of their losses resulting in a foul, the same as Auckland City, leaving them vulnerable to quick counter-attacks. They were also among the two teams that conceded the most shots in the quarter-finals (an average of 13.4 per game). The win over Benfica in the quarter-finals was not easy either, as they conceded two goals in extra time, and Dean Huijsen was suspended for the semi-finals.
However, Madrid is still present in the top 4 strongest teams, a familiar image in any major arena.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG): No. 1 candidate
PSG have long been known for their fiery attacking style of play, that is nothing new. But the special thing about the summer in the US is the obvious improvement in defense. And that is giving them the opportunity to conquer the world's top.
After winning the Champions League, PSG under the guidance of coach Luis Enrique continued to maintain impressive form. Through 5 matches at the FIFA Club World Cup, they currently have the best defense in the tournament, facing an average of only 7.4 shots per match.
Gianluigi Donnarumma continued to show consistency in goal, despite the situation that led to Jamal Musiala's serious injury.
Up front, Ousmane Dembele returned strongly from injury, making his mark with a goal from the bench. Joao Neves and Achraf Hakimi also provided a constant threat from the second line.
No longer the “rich guy who plays attacking football”, PSG is now a comprehensive team, balanced in all three lines. After conquering Ligue 1 and the Champions League, they are facing the opportunity to complete the treble with the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time in history.
Watch FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ live and exclusively in Vietnam on FPT Play, with the support of Budweiser - Global Sponsor of the tournament and Samsung AI TV brand, visit http://fptplay.vn
Trong Dat
Source: https://tienphong.vn/ban-ket-fifa-club-world-cup-2025-fluminense-dau-ba-ong-lon-chau-au-post1758193.tpo
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