2025 FIFA Club World Cup: Is European supremacy a myth?
After Flamengo’s 3-1 humbling of UEFA Conference League champions Chelsea in the ongoing 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, a growing debate has emerged: is the supposed superiority of European clubs exaggerated?
The 2025 edition features six South American teams in the expanded 32-team format: Brazil is represented by Palmeiras, Botafogo, Flamengo, and Fluminense, while Argentina fields Boca Juniors and River Plate.
Before Boca Juniors’ narrow 2-1 loss to German champions Bayern Munich, South America’s representatives had gone unbeaten through their first nine matches. Palmeiras, Botafogo, Flamengo, and River Plate each topped their respective groups, underscoring the continent’s strong showing.
Elsewhere, Monterrey and Inter Milan played to a 1-1 draw, as did Al Hilal and Real Madrid—a clash that Al Hilal fullback João Cancelo later described as “a very balanced match.”
Believe it or not, South American clubs have historically performed well against European opposition when the two continents meet on the global stage.
For instance, in the now-defunct Intercontinental Cup (1960–2004), where the champions of South America and Europe faced off, South American teams won 22 times compared to Europe’s 21.
However, since the format changed to the FIFA Club World Cup, only one South American team—Brazil’s Corinthians—has won the tournament. The rest of the titles have gone to European clubs. Notably, no Argentine club has lifted the trophy since the tournament’s inception in 2000.
So the question remains: is the dominance of European clubs overstated because of their high commercial value, or is there truly a significant quality gap between the continents?
Different stages in the season
One critical factor is timing. While European and African clubs entered the tournament at the end of their domestic seasons, South American clubs are in the thick of theirs.
Take Flamengo, for example. Before heading to the U.S. for the Club World Cup, they had already played 11 league matches—winning 7, drawing 3, and losing just once.
In fact, all the Brazilian teams in the tournament had played 11 league games before the World Cup began.
Argentine sides had even more match experience, with Boca Juniors and River Plate having played 16 games each.
In terms of match fitness, these teams have a clear advantage—and it’s not a small one.
While Flamengo ran circles around Chelsea—credit where it’s due—it’s important to acknowledge that the Brazilian club is currently leading their domestic league and advancing in the Copa Libertadores. Botafogo, who defeated Champions League winners PSG, along with River Plate and Palmeiras, are in similarly strong form.
The weather factor
The heat and humidity in the U.S. this time of year have also been a major storyline.
After PSG’s commanding 4-0 win over Atlético Madrid in Pasadena, California, manager Luis Enrique remarked bluntly: “The teams are suffering.”
The game, played in front of 80,000 fans at the Rose Bowl, served as an early warning for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held across 16 stadiums in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Only five of those venues have roofs; the remaining 11 are open-air and subject to extreme summer conditions. Of those, seven are already seeing forecasts of temperatures in the 90s—conditions expected next June.
