Brazil’s four teams – Flamengo, Botafogo, Palmeiras and Fluminense – breezed through the group stage
“Many people didn’t believe this would happen. It is happening,” said Fluminense manager Renato Gaúcho as he reflected on the performances of the Brazilian teams at the Club World Cup. With Fluminense, Palmeiras, Botafogo and Flamengo all on their way to the last 16, Renato said that Brazilian football and people should be “very proud” of what their clubs have done in the US.
The results in the group stage were impressive. Botafogo beat European champions Paris Saint-Germain; Flamengo won convincingly against Chelsea; and the only defeat for a Brazilian team – when Botafogo lost to Atlético Madrid – came when they had an eye on the knockout stage. In all, they played 12 games, lost one and only conceded nine goals.
