The Brazilian side will look to build on their success of recent years and make a run in Club World Cup
In 2023, Fluminense were on top of all of South America. Crowned Copa Libertadores champions and winners of the Carioca Championship (domestic league title), they also earned Club World Cup runners-up honors that same campaign – and also went on to claim the 2024 Recopa Sudamericana, CONMEBOL's equivalent of the UEFA Super Cup. It was their year.
However, they've since taken a few steps back.
Manger Fernando Diniz was poached by the national team's federation, and appointed interim head coach of the on a one-year basis. He only lasted seven months – but by then, Fluminense had already moved on. They've gone through four-different coaches since, and have struggled to regain the form that had them peaking among South American sides.
This summer, at the FIFA Club World Cup, they'll look to find that spark once again. They have experience in the tournament – but never at one of this size, with the new 32-team field. Their roster is loaded with experience – highlighted by former Chelsea star and UEFA Champions League winner Thiago Silva.
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be played in 12 stadiums in 11 U.S. cities, from the opener on June 14 until the final on July 13. In the U.S., fans can stream or watch matches on DAZN or TNT. Leading up to kickoff, GOAL will provide scouting reports on each of the 32 participating teams in the expanded field.
Next up is Fluminense with a look at key players to watch, and expectations for the Brazilian side at the tournament.
The basics
DOMESTIC LEAGUE: Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
CLUB WORLD CUP HISTORY: Runners-up at the 2023 Club World Cup
GROUP: F (Fluminense, Mamelodi Sundowns, Ulsan HD, Borussia Dortmund)
OPENING MATCH: Borussia Dortmund – June 17, noon ET, East Rutherford
AdvertisementHow they got here
Fluminense qualified for this year's competition by winning the 2023 Copa Libertadores. They defeated Argentine powerhouse and fellow Club World Cup participant Boca Juniors 2-1 in extra-time. The win secured their berth as one of the six CONMEBOL teams competing this summer.
Getty Images SportThe player to watch
Jhon Arias, a Colombia international, is a threat in the final-third. The Colombia international has made more than 200 appearances for the Brazilian side, with 46 goals and 49 assists across all competitions since signing for the club in 2021. Internationally, he's made 27 appearances for , scoring three goals.
Defensively, the leader will absolutely be Silva. The former Chelsea and PSG star, if healthy, will lead their defense through careful composure and experience on the world's biggest stages.
The real player to watch, though, will be 37-year-old veteran German Cano. The Argentine striker has been prolific in front of net since arriving at the club in 2022, highlighted by a 40-goal season in 2023 across 60 appearances for the club. Across all competitions in 2024-25, he has 14 goals in 21 appearances – and he'll look to replicate his fine form from previous years.
Getty Images SportRealistic expectations
There is a very realistic opportunity for the Brazilian side to advance into the knockouts. However, their group is likely the biggest unknown in the competition. Both Mamelodi Sundowns and Ulsan HD are both clubs that the American audience – and much of the world – will be unfamiliar with.
That presents Fluminense with a potential hurdle. Borussia Dortmund will be their toughest foe on paper, but the German Bundesliga side have had a rather underwhelming 2024-25 season in both domestic and European competition. Could that leave room for a run at a first place finish? It's a realistic thought.
The goal has to be knockouts. With no clear heavyweight in the group, there's a path out of the Group Stage, and the Brazilian side will be poised to seize it.
