The impressive run of results for South American sides at the FIFA Club World Cup continued on Friday. In Philadelphia, Flamengo dominated the second half against Chelsea, easing past the expensive English side with a 3-1 victory. Flamengo’s midfield featuring former Chelsea man Jorginho, proved decisive, exposing weaknesses in Chelsea’s defense and overturning a 1-0 deficit. Neto had opened the scoring for Chelsea, but second-half goals from Bruno Henrique and Danilo within two minutes flipped the script. Wallace Yan sealed the result with a late goal in the 83rd minute. The win kept South American clubs unbeaten at that point in the tournament and reinforced Flamengo’s claim as Brazil’s biggest, best, and wealthiest club.
The passion of Flamengo’s supporters helped define the moment. And frankly, their win wasn’t a major shock , Brazilian clubs have been outstanding throughout the 2025 Club World Cup, with Palmeiras styling and profiling, and Botafogo coming off an upset win over PSG. Flamengo secured knockout stage qualification with their win against Chelsea.
Later that night in Miami, Boca Juniors poured their hearts into a spirited performance against Bayern Munich. Though they ultimately fell 2-1, conceding late, Boca clearly punched above their weight. Dominated in possession and trailing early after a Harry Kane goal, Boca refused to fade.
With 63,000 fans packed into Hard Rock Stadium, the vast majority Boca Juniors supporters, the venue was shaking. Their chants and bouncing created an atmosphere reminiscent of the fiercest Superclásicos or Copa Libertadores finals. It was a fitting return to the same stadium where Argentina lifted the Copa América, and under calmer circumstances, Boca fans nearly willed their team to a famous result. Miguel Merentiel equalized in the second half, sending the crowd into raptures after breaking free and slotting home. But Bayern’s Michael Olise scored in the 84th minute to break Boca’s resistance and secure a hard-fought win for the Bundesliga champions.
The way Boca Juniors fans took over Miami was a powerful reminder of the club’s deep bond with its supporters. Though they lack the financial firepower of Bayern and other European giants, Boca’s players gave everything to compete, and the financial rewards of this tournament could help narrow the gap going forward. The players spoke on this clearly after the game. From USA Today
Added Kane: “I love playing in front of these fans. One of the best in my career, for sure. Credit to them, credit to the Bayern fans. The Bayern fans tried to help us as much as possible, but it was hard with all the Boca fans there. So, credit to them. They made it a special night. Of course, they’re not going to go home happy, but I think they saw a great game.”
As the tournament progresses, it’s clear that South American teams are making this Club World Cup truly special. Esperance de Tunis also earned a statement win over LAFC, further proving that non-European sides are fighting hard for knockout round spots. But it’s Brazilian giants like Flamengo who continue to lead the charge.
And if this trend keeps up, Europe might finally have to admit: the rest of the football world is not going to fade quietly into the night when facing Europe’s best teams.
Main Photo Credit: Copyright: xSamxNavarrox Imago Images
