Flamengo handed Club World Cup group of giants and underdogs | OneFootball

Flamengo have learned their group-stage challengers for the expanded 2025 Club World Cup in the United States, with the Brazilian side set to face a mix of familiar and less heralded opponents. Drawn into Group D, Flamengo’s opponents include Chelsea, Tunisian champions Espérance, and the winner of a playoff between América (Mexico) and Los Angeles FC.

Espérance, for their part, are heading into the tournament with confidence rather than trepidation, despite sharing the group with two continental heavyweights. Defender Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida, speaking to FIFA, was clear that his side aren’t overawed by the prospect. “We will not be afraid of any team in this tournament. We will face them on the pitch and let the results speak for themselves. Of course, we’re in a group with some giants like Chelsea and Flamengo, but I think we’ll all be prepared for our matches,” he said. He added that encountering such storied opponents brings added motivation for his teammates, but ultimately stressed that “the result is always decided on the pitch. Every match is different.”

Midfielder Achref Jabri was equally resolute in outlining Espérance’s ambitions, stating, “We are Espérance; we enter all competitions aiming to win.” Ben Hamida also commented on the team’s focus: “I think we can go far in this tournament. God willing, we’ll give everything for this team. As players, it’s our responsibility to work hard until the last minute to get the best possible result.”

Espérance carry strong domestic form into the tournament. The Tunisian side played 45 matches in the current campaign, winning 30, drawing 11, and losing only four. This consistency secured them both the national league and Super Cup titles, with another domestic cup final still to play. Their continental run in the African Champions League was halted at the quarter-final stage by Mamelodi Sundowns, another Club World Cup participant.

For Flamengo, the challenge of a well-organized and confident Espérance will go alongside the prospect of another battle with Chelsea—a repeat of their dramatic 2022 final—and the promise of facing either a North American or Mexican side in what promises to be one of the competition’s most competitive groups. As anticipation builds for the tournament, Group D looks set to provide a robust test of Flamengo’s global ambitions.

Source: Lance