We are days away from the start of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, with each participating team making their final preparations for what is expected to be a competitive, lucrative tournament for all involved.
Here, we take stock of Group F of the CWC and preview its teams.
Dortmund qualified as one of UEFA’s highest-ranked sides during the 2021–2024 period.
Fluminense punched their tickets for the tournament by winning the 2023 Copa Libertadores.
Mamelodi Sundowns were one of the highest-ranked sides in the CAF standings, which guaranteed their qualification to the tournament.
Ulsan, meanwhile, sealed their spot as one of the highest-ranked AFC sides in the same period.
On paper, Dortmund look a league above the rest of their competitors. The likes of Serhou Guirassy, Karim Adiyemi, Jamie Gittens, and Julian Brandt will all be a handful for any opposition. BVB also arrive at the tournament on the back of some blistering form in the German Bundesliga, which saw them qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League right at the end. They’ll look to capitalise on this momentum.
Fluminense have the likes of veterans Thiago Silva and Ganso in their ranks, but aside from these two players they are a bit light on quality and big-match experience.
Mamelodi Sundowns, meanwhile, come into the tournament as something of an unknown quantity, though making the CAF Champions League final recently should hold them in good stead.
Finally, Ulsan are another unknown quantity, but they have momentum on their side — they’re currently third in the K League 1 table — and will start the tournament with confidence.
Given they’re the strongest side on paper, Dortmund should make it through relatively easily.
For the second spot, we should be in for a three-way showdown. We back the CAF Champions League runners-up to progress as runners-up here as well.
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