Club World Cup Team Betting Predictions: Fluminense

A victorious Copa Libertadores campaign in 2023 has granted Fluminense entry into the 2025 Club World Cup in the USA, and after a favorable group stage draw, the Tricolor will fancy their chances of at least making the knockouts.

Below are my Fluminense Fifa Club World Cup 2025 predictions, as I assess the Brazilian side's prospects at the tournament, and pick out a player to keep a close eye on.

Group F: Borussia Dortmund, Fluminense, Mamelodi Sundowns, Ulsan HD

Fixtures: Fluminense vs Borussia Dortmund (17:00 BST, June 17), Fluminense vs Ulsan HD (23:00 BST, June 21), Mamelodi Sundowns vs Fluminense (20:00 BST, June 25)

Player to watch: Jhon Arias

Fluminense enjoyed a glorious 2023, beating Boca Juniors in the Copa Libertadores final to be crowned champions of South America for the first time in their history. They also reached the Club World Cup final, where they lost 4-0 to Manchester City, and finished a respectable seventh in Serie A.

However, the following year was disastrous as they flirted with relegation from Brazil's top tier, ending up 13th, just four points clear of the drop zone. Fernando Diniz, the man who led Flu to glory in the 2023 Copa Libertadores, paid the price for results and was sacked mid-season, replaced by Mano Menezes, who helped stave off the threat of relegation but was dismissed after a 2-0 defeat to Fortaleza on the opening round of the 2025 Serie A.

Renato Gaucho was subsequently appointed as the club's new head coach on April 3, and he's made a strong start at the Rio club, winning 11 of his first 17 games in charge, topping their Copa Sudamericana group and lifting them to fifth in the league table.

Flu will arrive into America on a six-game unbeaten run, and a four-game win streak, so confidence should be high in the camp, particularly given the level of a couple of their group rivals.

Club World Cup 2025 Odds

German giants Borussia Dortmund are favourites to win Group F, but Flu are highly fancied to join BVB in the knockouts, with South Korean outfit Ulsan HD and South African side Mamelodi Sundowns expected to offer little resistance.

Perhaps Flu will set their sights on first place, with Dortmund coming off the back of a difficult season that saw them change managers in January and finish fourth in the Bundesliga, a mammoth 25 points behind champions Bayern Munich.

The Brazilians are playing with real confidence at the moment, most recently beating Internacional 2-0 in their own backyard, and they will sense a real opportunity to do something special at this tournament.

Player to watch: Jhon Arias

Here's a top tip for you before I wax lyrical about the Colombian's talents - whoever his direct opponent in a game is, likely the left-back, bet on them to make a few fouls, or to receive a card.

Flu forward Arias is a real menace to defenders, highlighted in his fouled-per-game average of 2.9 in this season's Serie A (2.3 p/g in 2024, 2.5 p/g in 2023). His ability to draw fouls has translated to the international scene, with the 27-year-old averaging 1.6 fouls won in the South American section of 2026 World Cup qualifying.

As well as winning free-kicks and the odd penalty, though, Arias has proven a more than useful goalscoring asset, netting double figures in each of his three full seasons with Flu.

He's only struck twice in 16 appearances this year, and only once in Serie A, but he's weighed in with six assists - four in the league and two in the Copa Sudamericana.

Thiago Silva provides vital experience in the middle of their back line, as does the mercurial Ganso in midfield, but it's Arias who is their main spark in attack, and the player likely to produce something special to win a game.

Football Odds

*FIFA Club World Cup: Bet £10 or more on a team to win the 2025 Club World Cup and receive £2 in Free Bets for each game your team wins in 90 minutes to use on Football Bet Builders.

Prediction: Second in Group F

It's a two-way battle for top spot in Group F, in my opinion, and it's a lot closer than many probably think, but ultimately, I think Dortmund will edge proceedings, and that means Flu will have to settle for runners-up, which is dangerous for their chances of progressing beyond the last 16.

Should they finish second, Italian giants and this year's losing Champions League finalists, Inter Milan, are likely to lie in wait, and that's where their journey might end.

Still, that would represent success, of sorts, and top up their confidence levels heading back to Brazil.

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