Joga Bonito is Back! Brazilian Clubs Bringing The Flair to The Club World Cup!

Joga Bonito is Back! Brazilian Clubs Bringing The Flair to The Club World Cup!

Chandler Milligan

Roll back the clock, because Brazilian football is back on the map!

But it wasn’t part of FIFA’s plan.

From the outside looking in, the Club World Cup seemed like another way for FIFA to force Lionel Messi’s name into the headlines while pitting him against the best sides in Europe.

The newly remastered FIFA Club World Cup that nobody asked for has had its fair share of cringeworthy moments already, and all it’s really done is raise concerns about next year’s World Cup.

From Donald Trump inviting a delegation from Juventus men’s team into the White House just to stand behind him while he answered questions about the conflict in Iran to Gianni Infantino demonstrating the mechanics of the Club World Cup trophy to the US President, who couldn’t have looked less interested, it’s all been a bit embarrassing to observe.

And while Gianni Infantino does everything in his power to make everything about him (his name is even engraved on the trophy…twice), his PR antics and IShowSpeed collaborations have been overshadowed by something far more welcoming and unexpected: Brazilian football stealing the spotlight.

There are four Brazilian teams competing at the Club World Cup.

Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense, and Botafogo earned their place by winning the CONMEBOL Libertadores in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, respectively.

But if you thought they were just here to participate, you were mistaken.

While European giants like PSG, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Juventus and Bayern Munich naturally drew the hype, the quartet from Brazil have made their presence known.

Palmeiras started their campaign with a 0-0 draw against FC Porto, while Botafogo emerged victorious against a Seattle Sounders side playing on home soil.

Flamengo secured a 2-0 win over Tunisian side Espérance de Tunis, and Fluminense did remarkably well to hold Borussia Dortmund to a goalless stalemate.

If Matchday One was a good start, then Matchday Two was a statement.

Palmeiras secured a 2-0 victory over Egyptian side Al Ahly, and Fluminense triumphed 4-2 over Ulsan from South Korea.

But what Botafogo and Flamengo did stunned the world.

Igor Jesus found the back of the net in an incredible victory that saw Botafogo triumph 1-0 over European Champions PSG.

Flamengo fought from behind to dominate Chelsea in a 3-1 victory in Philadelphia, and all four Brazilian sides remained unbeaten after Matchday Two.

Botafogo battled out a late 1-0 defeat over Atletico Madrid, but still managed to finish in second place in one of the toughest groups in the competition to advance to the Round of 16.

Fighting from 2-0 down against Messi’s Inter Miami in the final ten minutes, Palmeiras clinched top spot in Group A.

Flamengo secured their place in the Round of 16, fighting back against LAFC for a late 1-1 draw to finish top of their group.

For Fluminense, their goalless draw with the South African Mamelodi Sundowns ensured they would progress, finishing in second place behind Borussia Dortmund.

And so, all four Brazilian sides are in the Round of 16.

Palmeiras and Botafogo will go head-to-head at the Lincoln Financial Field, meaning it is guaranteed that we will see a Campeonato Brasileiro Série A side competing in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup.

Fluminense will face UCL finalists Inter Milan, and Flamengo will go head-to-head with Bundesliga Champions, Bayern Munich.

So, has Brazilian football been flying under the radar? Or are these European sides just not that into the Club World Cup?

Given the jam-packed schedule of these European powerhouses, it’s easy to argue that they are exhausted after the 2024/25 season and have little energy for such a trivial tournament.

Not only have they completed extensive league campaigns, but with domestic cups and deep UEFA Champions League runs, they have played far more football than any CONMEBOL sides, right?

Wrong.

Four Brazilian teams are participating in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Those four teams have played the most games of any team competing in this tournament.

Flamengo have played 77 games, followed by Botafogo, Fluminense, and Palmeiras at 70.

The most games played by a European side this season is Real Madrid with 62.

So, do they just not care?

Not quite.

With the tournament occurring only once every four years under the new 32-team format, the Club World Cup presents a unique opportunity for the victor to flaunt their ‘World Champions’ status for the next few years.

After massively underperforming in the 2024/25 season, the FIFA Club World Cup has become an obsession for Real Madrid, with the club wanting to mark the beginning of the Xabi Alonso era with the world champion title.

The prize money of up to $125 million is also compelling.

Bayern Munich started their campaign with a 10-0 victory over semi-professional New Zealand outfit Auckland City.

When asked if they felt bad for their opponents, Michael Olise responded with a simple ‘no’.

A result and a response that signify their competitive intent.

Juventus secured massive 5-0 and 4-1 victories to cement their place in the knockouts, while Manchester City were commanding in their 2-0 and 6-0 victories.

Two sides that underperformed last season, and no doubt want to assert themselves on this global stage.

PSG, with their European title behind them, will no doubt want to extend their treble-winning campaign with the title of ‘World Champion’ to stand alongside their title of ‘European Champion’

The delegation of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A has other ideas.

Why does it surprise anyone that the nation responsible for Pele, Neymar, Ronaldo, Garrincha, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Rivaldo, Carlos Alberto, Romario, Cafu, and hundreds more is going toe-to-toe with the best teams in Europe?

Clearly, we’ve all been sleeping on South American football in favour of the bright lights of the European game.

It’s not just the status quo that these Libertadores Champions are upsetting.

They are showing grit, aggression, and chaos that is making these European giants suffer.

Botafogo delivered a tireless defensive effort to conquer Paris Saint-Germain and pulled no punches as they ruthlessly trolled Chelsea on social media after their 3-1 comeback victory. Palmeiras stole top spot from Messi & Miami with a late two-goal comeback, and Fluminense stole points from Borussia Dortmund en route to their knockout stage progression.

If the group stages were their audition, they have delivered with flying colours. These four horsemen from Brazil aren’t here to be the good guys; they’re here to win.