This Group D encounter of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be played between Brazilian heavyweights Botafogo and Espérance Sportive de Tunis on June 17 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Here are our preview and prediction for the game.
FIFA Club World Cup 2025 | Group D: CR Flamengo vs Espérance Sportive de Tunis | 06:30 IST, June 17
While Flamengo, like other Brazilian teams in the tournament, are hoping to go all the way, their Tunisian counterparts are outsiders — especially with Chelsea also vying for a top-two finish in Group D.
One of the biggest clubs in Brazil, Flamengo have been crowned continental champions twice in the past six years and have the financial clout to compete on multiple fronts each season. The Rio de Janeiro–based side have won the Copa Libertadores three times, with their most recent triumph earning them entry into the revamped Club World Cup. Although the Rubro-Negro have failed to win the Brasileirão since 2020, they’re currently on track to claim the domestic title for an eighth time and lead the Série A standings with a game in hand.
Their recent success is also down to the brilliance of head coach Filipe Luís, who continues to impress with his risk-taking, high-pressing style of football. The former Atletico Madrid defender finished his playing career at Flamengo and, after making an eye-catching start to his time in charge, now leads the team into a major global club tournament.
The Brazilian giants have made two appearances in the previous guise of Club World Cup (now the Intercontinental Cup). Here, they finished runners-up to Liverpool six years ago, while they famously beat the Reds 3–0 in the 1981 Intercontinental Cup. This time around, they have ambitions of going the distance again, though a slip-up on Tuesday could put them on the brink of an early exit.
While Flamengo qualified for the CWC as winners of the 2022 Copa Libertadores, their opponents for this game earned their spot by topping Africa’s four-year club rankings.
ES Tunis made three appearances in the previous CWC format but won only one of six matches — against Qatari outfit Al Sadd in 2019. Undoubtedly, they are the underdogs in Group D here.
In the domestic scene, though, EST are dominant, having won more top-flight titles than any other Tunisian side — including eight of the last nine. Moreover, their continental pedigree is beyond doubt, having already claimed the CAF Champions League crown four times to date.
Across all competitions, Maher Kanzari’s men have won nine of their last ten games, keeping eight clean sheets. Kanzari’s mid-season return helped them secure their first league-and-cup double in 14 years.
However, EST must step up several gears to compete with Chelsea, Los Angeles FC, and Flamengo for a place in the CWC knockouts, which would be one of their greatest achievements. However, we believe Flamengo’s attacking power and top-level experience should prove too much for them on opening day.
Score Prediction: Flamengo 3–1 ES Tunis
Venue: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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