Corinthians stir the rivalry with a bold gesture at Palmeiras | OneFootball

Corinthians midfielder Charles drew attention on Monday after making what appeared to be a pointed gesture referencing rivals Palmeiras’ recent Club World Cup exit, according to UOL. In footage captured by Corinthians TV during a training session, Charles was seen performing the signature “ice-cold” celebration popularized by Chelsea’s Cole Palmer—an action widely interpreted as a nod to Palmeiras’ defeat at the hands of the London club just days before.

Palmeiras were knocked out of the tournament in the United States following a 2-1 loss to Chelsea, with Palmer opening the scoring for the Premier League side in the quarterfinals. The gesture by Charles—Corinthians’ number 35—quickly sparked speculation about underlying rivalry and a possible attempt at provocation, especially considering the long-standing history between the two São Paulo clubs.

This was not the first time Corinthians referenced Palmeiras’ World Cup setbacks. In the aftermath of Palmeiras’ elimination, the official Corinthians social media accounts posted content poking fun at their rivals. One post featured the club’s musketeer mascot laughing at Palmeiras’ mascot at an airport, accompanied by the caption, “World Cups are for the few.” Another message read, “Good night and sweet dreams, Fiel! World tradition is in the East Side of São Paulo!”—a clear assertion of Corinthians’ own Club World Cup triumphs, most notably the 2012 victory over Chelsea courtesy of Paolo Guerrero’s decisive goal.

Notably, Palmeiras have twice faced Chelsea in the Club World Cup, suffering defeat on both occasions—once in the 2021 final after extra time in Abu Dhabi, and now in this recent quarterfinal.

The timing of Charles’ gesture is significant, with Corinthians set to host Palmeiras in the first leg of the Copa do Brasil round of 16 at the end of July. Rivalry and banter between the two sides is an ever-present feature of the São Paulo football scene, frequently spilling from the pitch into clubs’ social media strategy and, as this week demonstrated, daily training ground routines.

Charles has become more visible in the Corinthians setup as the club currently sits tenth in the national league, on 16 points after ten matches. The coming month presents a busy schedule, culminating in another high-stakes encounter with Palmeiras—a fixture that rarely needs extra motivation, but one which may now carry added spice.

(Source: UOL)

Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images