The first Group F encounter of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be played between Brazilian outfit Fluminense and German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund on June 17 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Here are our preview and prediction for the game.
Fluminense ply their trade in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A or Brasileirão, where they’re currently sitting in sixth place, four points off the top after 11 games. They featured in the last final of the Club World Cup’s previous guise (now the Intercontinental Cup) in 2023, where they lost 4–0 to Manchester City. In 2023, they won the Copa Libertadores for the first time in their history. They also won the Recopa Sudamericana in 2024.
Fluminense don’t rely on one player to score goals, rather all their players contribute to the attacking output of the team. Veteran centre-back Thiago Silva is one of the most popular faces in the squad, while Kevin Serna, Germán Cano, Ganso, and Jhon Arias are also crucial players. Coached by Fernando Diniz, Fluminense like to play possession-based, attacking football. Diniz likes his team to focus on dynamic attacking patterns, often letting go of strict positional play and encouraging fluid football.
Borussia Dortmund, in comparison, are more recognisable to a European football–watching audience and are regulars in the UEFA Champions League. Runners-up in the UCL last year, their league form this season wasn’t up to standard, though they did manage to sneak into the top four at the death.
BVB have some of the most exciting young players in their ranks to complement their experienced operators. Karim Adeyemi, Jamie Gittens, Serhou Guirassy, Nico Schlotterbeck, Emre Can, Maximilian Beier, Marcel Sabitzer, and Julian Brandt make the team’s core. They’re coached by Niko Kovac, who prefers to play an attacking style of football with focus on high pressing and quick turnovers.
Looking at the two squads, Borussia Dortmund are clearly the stronger side on paper. Their European background also gives the upper hand on most sides from outside the continent, which makes them our favourites for not just this game, but also to win the group.
Score Prediction: Fluminense 0–2 Borussia Dortmund
Venue: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
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