Club World Cup Team Betting Predictions: Porto

They may be more than two decades on from the height of their powers under Jose Mourinho, but FC Porto have continued to be such a consistent presence in European competition that they have gained a place at this month’s Fifa Club World Cup.

Despite consecutive third-place finishes in Portugal, the Dragoes have extended their exceptional run of qualifying for Europe in 52 successive seasons, but my Porto Fifa Club World Cup 2025 predictions won’t be forecasting a 2004-esque run. Below is a full run-down of their chances of winning the competition, complete with an assessment of their squad.

Group A: Porto, Palmeiras, Inter Miami, Al Ahly

Fixtures: Palmeiras vs Porto (23:00 BST, June 15), Inter Miami vs Porto (20:00 BST, June 19), Porto vs Al Ahly (02:00 BST, June 24)

Player to watch: Samu Aghehowa

By Porto’s standards, the last few years have been fallow to say the least.

They ended 2024/25 a full 11 points behind league champions Sporting CP and nine adrift of Champions League football, finishing the campaign with just the Supertaca to show for their season.

And it’s not often Porto end a campaign with so little silverware to show for it. This is a club which in the last 40 years has won 60 domestic trophies, two Champions League titles, two Europa Leagues, two Intercontinental Cups and a Uefa Supercup.

So the first quadrennial Club World Cup comes around at a time which doesn’t particularly find Porto ready to compete under 39-year-old Argentine head coach Martin Anselmi.

Club World Cup 2025 Odds

They do have a forgiving group, though. Cynics would say that Group A was cherry-picked to give Inter Miami the best chance possible of showcasing Lionel Messi in at least one knockout round. Cynics would say that…

But Porto ought to be the strongest team in a group which also features Brazil’s Palmeiras and Egyptian champions Al Ahly, especially given their mountain of experience in international competition. Indeed, the season in which Porto didn’t play in a European competition of some description was 1973/74.

They’re 11/8 to top Group A, with Palmeiras second favourites at 15/8, Inter Miami 3/1 and Al Ahly the 10/1 outsiders.

And while this isn’t the Dragoes at the height of their powers, they might just have enough know-how to ask a question or two from there.

Player to watch: Samu Aghehowa

There can have been few savvier signings in recent times than Porto landing Samu Aghehowa. Prior to him arriving at the Dragao last summer, the native of the autonomous Spanish city of Melilla in North Africa had a grand total of nine top-flight goals to his name.

He'd experienced a turbulent year at Atletico Madrid, who signed him up to a five-year deal in 2023 and later negotiated a £34m move to Chelsea after he’d impressed on loan with Alaves, but an ankle injury put a kibosh on the transfer to Stamford Bridge.

Instead, Porto took him on in a switch worth around £13m, and he has repaid their faith with a bag-load of goals. He has netted 25 in 2024/25 so far, with 19 coming in the Dragoes’ league campaign and the other six in the run to the knockout phase of the Europa League.

A year on from a hectic summer and a brush with Chelaea, Aghehowa might be about to make the bigger names in world football pay serious attention once more.

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: To win Group A @ 11/8

I’d love to say Porto have it in them to make a run reminiscent of 2004, but with Atletico potentially stood in their way in the round of 16 I just can’t see it.

The last 12 months have been a bit of a struggle, with Vitor Bruno’s difficulties in charge in the opening months of the season paving the way for a change by new president Andre Villas-Boas. Yes, that one.

Anselmi has won 10 and lost just four of his 18 matches in charge to date, but the level of competition Porto will face beyond their group is on a different plain to what they have experienced since the former Cruz Azul head coach arrived.

To that end, I see a fairly swift knockout exit here for a side who would do well to start the preparation for the Primeira Liga now after three years without a domestic title.

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