The USA will host Costa Rica in the last eight of the Gold Cup this weekend as Mauricio Pochettino’s side look to continue their fine form in the competition.
The last time the two sides went head-to-head in a competitive game, it was Costa Rica who came out on top with a 2-0 victory back in 2022. The USA have won all of their last five home meetings with this weekend’s opponents, previously securing a 3-0 win in a friendly earlier this year.
Team news
Pochettino will be looking to build on the USA’s most recent performances after winning their three group stage games in the Gold Cup. Malik Tillman and Patrick Agyemang both struck against Haiti last time out, so we could see them retain their place in the starting XI.
Costa Rica struggled in the group stage, narrowly beating Suriname, who are ranked 137th in the world, 4-3. Veteran goalkeeper Keylor Navas is still going strong at the age of 38, and he should start between the sticks.
The USA resolute in the competition
Pochettino’s side have conceded just 0.3 goals per game in the competition so far, and the USA boss has them playing exciting football in the Gold Cup. No team has averaged more possession per game, with the USA keeping a whopping 67.6% of the ball.
The USA have also created more big chances, had more touches inside the opposition box, and more shots on target than any other team in the Gold Cup, so we’re expecting an attacking display from the home team in this fixture.
Keeping their discipline key for Costa Rica
No side have been awarded more yellow cards than Costa Rica in the competition so far. Their fiery style has paid dividends after they qualified for the knockout rounds, although conceding three against Suriname last time out was a cause for concern.
Costa Rica have looked reasonably strong defensively outside of their most recent performance, conceding just 1.3 goals per game. We’re expecting a dominant display from the USA, with Costa Rica averaging just 44.4% possession in the tournament.
Tillman the one to watch
PSV Eindhoven attacking midfielder has not only been a standout for the USA, but in the Gold Cup overall as well. The 23-year-old is the top goalscorer in the competition, finding the back of the net on three occasions.
Tillman at the Gold Cup so far…
His overall performances for his country have been impressive, and he’s starting to become a regular for the USA. After a strong season in Holland with PSG, scoring 16 league goals, Tillman is the one to watch in this game as he looks to continue his fine form for Pochettino’s side.
Prediction
Considering the USA’s recent form, it’s difficult to see past a home victory in this game. We’re going for a 3-1 win to Pochettino’s men, with Tillman to get his name on the scoresheet once again.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Inter Miami are through to the knockout stages of the Club World Cup, where they will play Lionel Messi’s former team and recently crowned European champions, Paris Saint-Germain.
Inter Miami’s unbeaten performance in the group stage was considered a win, not just for Javier Mascherano’s team, but for Major League Soccer generally.
The 2-1 defeat of Porto thanks to a Lionel Messi free kick was a historic result for the league.
Their reward is a last-16 matchup with tournament favourites PSG in Atlanta on Sunday.
Setting the scene
Though Inter Miami’s progress to this stage is impressive, it could have been even more so.
With around ten minutes of group stage play remaining, they were top of Group A, but the match against Brazilian side Palmeiras ended in an eventful draw, which eventually saw them finish second.
Inter Miami held a 2-0 lead, secured through goals scored by Tadeo Allende and Luis Suárez, but the team from São Paulo scored twice in the last 10 minutes of the game to claim the draw that would see them top the group on goal difference.
More importantly for them, topping the group meant avoiding PSG, so in the end, thanks to those two late Palmerias goals, it will be Inter Miami who will face the unenviable task of taking on the reigning European champions and Club World Cup favourites.
Messi had already grabbed some headlines with his free-kick against Porto, but his teammate from Uruguay had been fairly quiet.
Despite his lack of mobility, Suárez is still able to provide a burst of quality and movement, and this was on show for his goal against Palmeiras.
Messi was also heavily involved in the buildup to that goal, before Suárez carried it through the Palmeiras defence, rolling back the years and finishing powerfully with his left foot.
These two star players will need to be at their best, and harking back to their peak in Europe, if Inter Miami are to have a chance against PSG.
PSG pace and precision
The passing of Vitinha and the dribbling of Désiré Doué is the double threat that make PSG so dangerous.
These are the kinds of players who have replaced Miami’s aging stars in Europe today, and Portuguese midfielder Vitinha has a genuine shout for being the best footballer in the world at this moment in time.
Everything PSG do goes through him, and when combined with the supporting cast of some more of the best players in Europe, it made PSG unstoppable in the UEFA Champions League this past season.
Our best rated PSG players at the tournament
They have not been unstoppable in the Club World Cup, though, with Brazilian side Botafogo recording a monumental upset to defeat them 1-0 in the group stage.
Inter Miami will take some hope from this, but it’s a tough ask against a team full of talented individuals and, unusually for the modern version of PSG, one where those individuals have combined to produce the most impressive team.
Prediction
The current best players in the world will defeat the former best players in the world in a high-scoring game.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
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The group stage is done; 32 teams are now just 16 with some big names heading home. Most of them, however, remain in the tournament. Chelsea stumbled while Benfica shone, the two face off with a place in the quarters up for grabs.
Enzo Maresca’s side may be looking at this one as a fairly ‘favourable’ tie, missing out on a potential game with Bayern Munich after finishing second in Group D but the Portuguese side certainly won’t be pushovers.
Liam Delap has arrived
Three games, two goal contributions for the Chelsea newbie. Delap bagged his first goal in the 3-0 win over Espérance, receiving the ball, holding off the defender, and cooly slotting past the ‘keeper.
It’s been a while since the Chelsea fans have seen a number nine do anything like that and with memories of Álvaro Morata, Gonzalo Higuaín, and Radamel Falcao still fresh in the mind, it’s caused quite the stir.
With Nicolas Jackson suspended for one more game, he has the chance to prove himself against an established European side as he and his teammates prepare for next season’s Champions League. Maybe the curse is broken…
An Ángel gets his wings
Once Benfica depart the Club World Cup, Ángel di Maria will leave Benfica. Undoubtedly one of the most underrated players of his generation, he will be heading back home to play for boyhood club Rosario Central.
He was their star man throughout the group stage, scoring once in the 2-2 draw with Boca Juniors and then bagging a brace in the 6-0 victory over Auckland City FC, making him the joint top scorer in the competition.
Five players have scored three goals at the Club World Cup
Even someone who’s been there and done it as much as Di Maria is in the dark as to how this tournament with go. Both sides have had looooong seasons but ending his time at Benfica with a good run, and maybe even a trophy, would be the perfect way to go.
Trying new things
Maresca has openly admitted that he’s using the tournament to try new things ahead of the 2025-26 season. Perhaps most notably, he put Cole Palmer out on the right in the 3-1 defeat to Flamengo, where he was largely ineffective.
One thing that has been a huge success, however, is playing Enzo Fernández slightly higher up the pitch. He’s not quite in the number ten role, but he’s not far off. The World Cup winner took his assist tally to 16 for the season vs Espérance.
No matter the tournament, Maresca will want to get his hands on that trophy when push comes to shove but one thing is for certain, he’ll still INSIST on sticking Reece James in the midfield.
A safe pair of hands
They’re a pretty hot commodity nowadays. Anatoliy Trubin has quietly established himself as one of the more reliable young ‘keepers on the continent, conceding just 28 goals and keeping 13 clean sheets in his 32 league games.
He’s kept that good form up in the Club World Cup, winning the Player of the Match award in the 1-0 win over Bayern Munich, making four saves, six recoveries, and two high claims over the 90 minutes.
Chelsea’s situation between the sticks isn’t quite as stable, although Robert Sánchez has certainly improved since the turn of the year. This game will be tight, and Trubin can handle the pressure.
Prediction
These two sides are probably more even than many may think, under Bruno Lage, Benfica are hard to break down and Chelsea often struggle against defensively solid sides. We think the Premier League side will go through 2-1 after extra time.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Just like that, after 24 years yo-yoing between the Spanish second and third divisions, Real Oviedo are back in the big time. It was a team effort, but one man was the heart and soul behind the promotion. This one is for the romantics.
As a boy, Santi Cazorla spent his time roaming the Roman roads of Llanera, dreaming of playing for his local team, Real Oviedo. Now, he’s a 40-year-old man with kids of his own, doubtless playing on those same streets, and he’s the one behind their promotion.
It’s been a hell of a journey. From Spain to North London and back again, he then spent three years in Qatar with Al-Sadd before joining Oviedo in the summer of 2023. Despite playing there as a youngster, Cazorla never made a senior appearance for Oviedo before being snapped up by Villareal in 2003.
Cazorla didn’t want to leave the club he joined as an eight-year-old. Following their relegation from LaLiga in 2001, Oviedo were sent further down the pyramid in 2003, forced to play in the fourth tier due to the club’s dire financial situation. For the good of the club he loved, he left but kept looking over his shoulder, yearning.
Cazorla’s club career summary
When the prodigal son finally returned, he was hailed as a hero. Real Oviedo are by no means a small club but it’s not every day someone of Cazorla’s pedigree walks through the doors at the Estadio Carlos Tartiere.
He didn’t join for the money either, this wasn’t one big pay day for a player in the twilight of his career, in all honesty, he had that when he went to the Middle East. The club was transparent with how much he would be paid, €91,000 a season to be exact. “I would play for free, but you’re not allowed,” he said.
Money wasn’t an issue but fitness sure was. While at Arsenal, he picked up an injury that would see him miss 619 days and 122 games for club and country. Arsène Wenger described it as the worst he had ever seen, and he’s seen a fair few.
After 12 surgeries, his Achilles Tendon was virtually non-existent. Ten centimeters was removed, more than we knew was possible, with the doctor slicing the tattoo he has of his daughter’s name in half for a skin graft. It was a miracle he could wiggle his toes, never mind play professional football.
He finally made his Real Oviedo debut at the ripe old age of 38, ancient in footballing terms, coming on for just one minute in the 1-0 defeat to Real Valladolid. Oviedo had the chance to earn promotion in 2023-24 but fell at the last hurdle, losing 2-1 on aggregate to Espanyol in the play-off final.
When the final whistle blew and the dust settled, Cazorla had a decision to make. Call it a day, end a career that had seen him lift more trophies than he ever would have expected, or go again. Of course, he went again.
Cazorla won two European Championships with Spain
In 2024-25, Oviedo and Cazorla stepped up their game, earning a third placed finish, just two points off the automatic promotion places. It was a pretty perfect metaphor for his career, nothing comes easy.
They drew Almería in their play-off semifinal, traveling to their ground for the first leg and earning a vital 2-1 win, thanks to a brace from right-back Nacho Vidal. Cazorla played, of course, but it wasn’t until the next game he really came through.
Fans were waving scarves and singing like their lives depended on it, in many ways they did. Hearts fell into their collective stomachs after Jaime Seoane was deemed to have handled the ball in the box. It was rifled at him from about two feet away, but the ref didn’t care, he wasted no time in pointing to the spot.
Gonzalo Melero converted, sending Aaron Escandell the wrong way to make it 2-2 on aggregate. Half-time came and went, Seoane was replaced by the man himself, and the game completely changed.
Three minutes after being introduced, Cazorla found himself standing over a very dangerous freekick. His eyes narrowed, right eyebrow raised, and he placed it expertly in the bottom left corner. It’s almost like he’d been in that kind of situation before.
One the game was over, manager Veljko Paunović embraced Cazorla while his teammates fell to the turf, exhausted and relieved that they had made it to their second consecutive play-off final, determined to ensure this one wouldn’t end like the last.
Just three minutes into the first leg of the final it looked like it would. CD Mirandés winger Alberto Reina scored, leaping above his defender to nod the ball into the back of the net. Cazorla missed the game, watching on from the sidelines after picking up a slight knee injury.
Mirandes took the lead in the 16th minute and the switch in Cazorla’s beautiful brain flipped. He took complete control of the game and when his side were awarded a penalty, he picked up the ball, kissed it, before converting.
Ilyas Chaira made it 2-1 just after the break to send it to extra-time. In the 72nd minute, Cazorla was spent, he had given everything he had to the cause, it was time to pass the torch and trust his teammates to get the job done.
Francisco Portillo, who isn’t a young man either, scored the fated goal that secured promotion back to La Liga. Oviedo fans rushed the pitch and Cazorla was lifted onto the shoulders of former player now club doctor Diego Cervero.
An entire generation of Oviedo fans have been waiting to see the big boys come to their town. They lined the streets to thank he who had left a boy but returned as a man.
“It’s mad, ridiculous really that the best moment of my life is this at 40,” Cazorla said, looking over a crowd that filled Avenida Galicia as far as they eye could see. “I have been lucky to live great things; I have won titles, cups, but I have suckled on Oviedo since I was a kid, the feeling here is different. This is unique.” That just about sums it up.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Paul Pogba hasn’t played a match since September 2023. That was the last time the midfielder featured for Juventus before receiving a ban after testing positive for a banned substance – dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). That ban (cut to 18 months from an initial four years) ended in March and Pogba is getting ready for a comeback.
Widespread reports claim Pogba, who is a free agent after leaving Juve in November, is on the verge of signing for Monaco on a two-year deal. The 32-year-old had interest from Major League Soccer and Saudi Arabia, most notably holding talks with DC United, but has seemingly opted for a return to his homeland where he will play in Ligue 1 next season.
Pogba’s senior club career to date
While Pogba came through the youth system at Le Havre, this will be the first time he has played league football in France. That the 32-year-old is joining a Ligue 1 club perhaps says something about how he wants to first restore his reputation at home, possibly even to make a push for France’s 2026 World Cup squad.
Talent has never been an issue for Pogba. At his best, he was one of the most naturally gifted midfielders in the world, persuading Manchester United to pay a world-record transfer fee to re-sign him from Juventus in 2016. At that time, United believed they’d landed a centre piece to build around for the next decade.
Pogba was misunderstood by several Manchester United managers who repeatedly saw him as a midfield anchor when his skill set made him more comfortable as a ball-carrying chaos merchant with the freedom to drive into the final third. It was in this role that Pogba first caught the eye for Juve, back when the Old Lady had Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio for structure and security.
Pogba career honours
It’s not guaranteed Pogba will be an automatic starter for Monaco. Adi Hütter favoured a double pivot of Lamine Camara and Denis Zakaria last season with Takumi Minamino afforded the license to roam as a mobile number 10 ahead of the midfield. It’s a system that worked well for the team from the principality.
Hütter set up Monaco to play in quick transition with wide attackers Maghnes Akliouche and Eliesse Ben Seghir the team’s primary creators. The January addition of Mika Biereth who scored 13 goals in just 16 Ligue 1 appearances gave Monaco a sharper cutting edge in front of goal, but there remains a sense that they could be more dynamic in their central play.
This possibly explains why Monaco have targeted Pogba. While it has been a number of years since the midfielder was consistently productive at the elite level of the game, his ball-carrying numbers have always been strong – at Manchester United, Pogba was ranked in the 95th percentile or higher for progressive carries and carries into the final third per 90 minutes.
As he moves further into his 30s, Pogba might have to change his game. He has surely lost some of the physicality that made him so imposing earlier in his career. This would have been the case had Pogba been playing consistently over the last three seasons. It will likely be even more the case considering he’s played just eight league games since 2022.
The Pogba that plays for Monaco next season might be very different to the Pogba that divided opinion during his time at Manchester United or the Pogba who set Serie A alight during his first spell at Juventus. That, however, could be a good thing. This is an opportunity for the Frenchman to start a new phase of his career.
Didier Deschamps knows what Pogba can do. The midfielder’s peak came when he shone at the 2018 World Cup, producing a Man of the Match performance in the final against Croatia. Deschamps didn’t just harness Pogba as a player, but as a leader. With Les Bleus in the midst of a generational transition, Pogba could have something to offer as a dressing rom figure.
Pogba starred in the 2018 World Cup Final
To be of any use to France at the 2026 World Cup, though, Pogba must prove himself for Monaco first. The 32-year-old will have a platform in the Champions League after Hütter’s team finished third in the Ligue 1 table last season, one place lower than the season before when Monaco finished second to Paris Saint-Germain. Pogba is joining a strong outfit.
No matter what happens, Pogba’s career will be defined by his unfulfilled potential. He was meant to be one of the best players in the world and while the midfielder is a World Cup winner, he never scaled such heights and he is unlikely to do now that he is into his twilight years as a professional. Nonetheless, a glimmer of the old Pogba would be irresistible.
The easy part for Real Madrid is done: new manager in, new marquee signings in. Now comes the hard part: making sure the revamp yields wins and, in time, titles. The Club World Cup might be a stretch in terms of judging Xabi Alonso, but clearly there’s work to do.
For a manager who has, until now, habitually played with a back three, moving to Real Madrid who haven’t done so with any regularity for at least a couple of decades represented a dilemma. So far, Alonso has opted for a 4-3-3 and continuity – whether that’s the case after a pre-season remains to be seen. But it hasn’t been plain sailing. New addition Trent Alexander-Arnold has shown defensive insecurities more than once already, Raúl Asencio was sent-off seven minutes into their last match and while keeping the back four the same to start both games can help starting to breed familiarity, the central pairing are 20 and 22 years old. Some errors are to be expected.
Real Madrid’s last starting XI
Defensive woes for both
At the other end of the pitch in this game it might be a similar matter. Salzburg are not, to be sure, the defensive clown show they were in the brief reign of Pepijn Lijnders last season, when both Sturm Graz and Bayer Leverkusen – then coached by Alonso of course – managed to score five past them. But despite a clear uptick in results, both games at the Club World Cup have still shown they are rather more open than they’d like: despite taking four points so far, both Pachuca and Al Hilal out-shot Salzburg and tallied a better xG, 1.4 for the Mexicans and 1.49 for the Saudis. Real might not be all guns blazing, but they still have elite attackers. Openness at the back will be an issue.
Recent form
Salzburg won three of the last four in the Austrian Bundesliga campaign, then have won and drawn in their two at the Club World Cup. Real Madrid actually suffered five defeats in the last 12 across all competitions before the season proper ended, but still won their last three in LaLiga and have similarly drawn and won in the US.
Team news
Karim Konaté is a long-term absentee for Salzburg and Nicolás Capaldo has a broken toe. Real Madrid will be without the suspended Asencio, as well as six injured players including Endrick and Eduardo Camavinga. Doubts remain over Kylian Mbappé, who has been ill, but the Frenchman has returned to training this week.
Key player
A win for either side guarantees passage to the next round while the loser would need to await the group’s other game. In the absence of defensive solidity, then, a big attacking performance from Vinícius Júnior would be welcomed, as he’s been sub-par so far, scoring and assisting precisely zero. He has had three shots and created four chances – a total xA of 0.99 combined – so really needs to step it up.
Madrid’s best rated players at the tournament so far
Prediction
Real Madrid should have enough about them to score a couple of times, given the number of chances Salzburg give up, but it won’t be one-way traffic. Salzburg 1-3 Real Madrid.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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A rare sight in football is watching a squad being discontent after a 6-0 win, but Manchester City needed to score at least one more goal to leapfrog Juventus and top Group G ahead of their direct meeting in the final round of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025‘s group phase. And it is no wonder that the Cityzens wanted to avoid a must-win match against the Old Lady given their poor record of three consecutive defeats and a couple of draws across UEFA’s club competitions over the past decade and a half.
Now, Igor Tudor and Pep Guardiola‘s squads will go head to head in Orlando for the top spot in Group G after both secured dominant wins against Wydad Casablanca and Al-Ain, respectively. Although, a draw will be enough for the 36-time Italian champions to seal it due to their higher number of goals scored (9) in comparison to the Blues (8), with both on same goal difference (+8). Furthermore, the second-placed team in the group will most likely face Real Madrid in the knockout stage, barring any surprises on Matchday 3 in Group H.
Key players
The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is proving to be Kenan Yıldız‘s breakout club tournament as the Turkish wonderkid is the Bianconeri’s top scorer with three goals scored across the opening couple of matches and his role is enhancing with each passing minute.
Another playmaking jewel is shining brightly on the other side, as Rayan Cherki opened his goal account against Al-Ain and the French prodigy looked right at home in a Pep Guardiola team. The 21-year-old is expected to start against Juventus after his impressive cameo off the bench, and will be City’s main creative threat towards Michele Di Gregorio‘s goal who has made 10 saves in the opening two rounds, making him one of the top goalkeepers at the tournament so far.
Team news
Mattia Perin and Juan Cabal are confirmed absentees in the Igor Tudor-led squad, but Gleison Bremer is nearing a return from injury, although the match on Thursday might come too soon.
Claudio Echeverri scored an incredible free-kick for City in the win over Al-Ain, but the Argentine got substituted at half-time due to sustaining an ankle injury, which makes him doubtful for Group G’s decider. Mateo Kovačić and Jack Grealish remain unavailable as does Rico Lewis who’s one-match ban got extended to three matches for ‘serious foul play’.
Prediction
With Juventus (4.26 xG) and Manchester City (5.94 xG) being the only teams with a perfect record at the FIFA Club World Cup so far, I expect a tight match and an exciting goalfest with both sides eager to avoid the potential clash with Xabi Alonso‘s Real Madrid in the knockout stages.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Martin’s last role was at Southampton, where he was sacked in December 2024 with the club sitting bottom of the Premier League table.
Stints at MK Dons, Swansea City and on the south coast with the Saints was hardly a glamour filled CV. But taking a deeper dive into his style of play, the Ibrox side may have hit the jackpot on the former Scotland defender.
Martin’s recent coaching career
Indeed, his possession based, high tempo philosophy is exactly what Rangers are craving. Martin’s style was even lauded by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola last October, who said that Southampton “were really good” during their 1-0 loss.
Martin faces a baptism of fire, but if he can get things right on and off the field over the next month, the 49ers’ decision to appoint him might just be justified.
Integrating a new style of play is crucial
So often under Philippe Clement last season, the Gers offered nothing going forward, especially in domestic matches.
Europe was a different story, but the club’s bread and butter is winning league titles, a feat they have achieved just once since 2011.
Martin wants his teams to not only control possession, but also to do things with the ball in the final third.
Rangers’ second place finish, 2024/25 season
During the 2023/24 Championship season, Southampton not only led the league in average possession (66%), but they also recorded the most corners (341), shots on target per match (5.8) and averaged 597.8 accurate passes per game.
Not happy with passing teams to death, Martin wants to get his players into the penalty area as often as possible, evidenced by the fact Southampton took 1583 touches in the opposition box during their Championship promotion season.
Teething problems may occur when acclimatizing to this new style of play. Time is of the essence, however, especially with Martin’s first competitive game against Panathinaikos taking place on July 22.
Having a positive style is a solid start. Now he needs to sign players who are able to carry out this philosophy on the pitch.
Southampton impressed in the Championship during 2023/24
Rangers are in the midst of their most important summer window in years
It might sound like hyperbole, but this transfer window is the arguably the most important in the club’s recent history.
On paper, the current squad isn’t good enough to qualify for the Champions League, yet alone compete in the competition proper.
Improvements are needed across the pitch, particularly in defence and on the flanks. Kwame Poku remains a target. The winger registered 20 goal contributions in League One for Peterborough last term.
Given the fact Ross McCausland is the only option on the right flank, strengthening is a priority. Defenders Conor Coady and Harry Darling have also been linked and the pair would be excellent signings.
Of course, signing high quality players is key, but Martin must look to retain his prized assets as best he can this summer.
FotMob’s top rated Rangers players, 2024/25 season
Nico Raskin and Hamza Igamane were the two bright sparks of an otherwise dreary 2024/25 campaign. As such, interest in the duo has emerged from the Premier League.
Many see Rangers as a stepping stone, but unless an incredible offer arrives for either player, Martin must look to build Rangers’ new look squad around them.
The Light Blues will make a significant profit on both players in due course. For at least another season, however, they must remain at Ibrox.
Placing trust in youth
“If you’re good enough, you’re old enough” uttered Sir Matt Busby over 70 years ago. He should know, as his Manchester United dynasty was filled with plenty of young talent who only needed a chance to showcase their ability.
Rangers, on the other hand, have been at best, inconsistent, and at worse, dreadful, when it comes to rearing the talents of the future.
Nathan Patterson looked like he could be the future of the club, but even the right-back couldn’t usurp James Tavernier and was sold to Everton for £16m in 2022.
Bailey Rice has been hailed as one of the finest midfielders of his age group. Yet Clement started the teenager just once, hindering his development in the process.
Martin developed Taylor Harwood-Bellis into an England international and winger Tyler Dibling into a player who is now valued at nearly £100m by the Saints.
While Martin won’t be throwing in the likes of Rice and Curtis in the deep end, by giving them chances in the first-team, the pair will only improve.
The 39-year-old has spoken eloquently about the challenges he faces in his new role and has gone into detail about what he expects from his group of players.
A solid first impression, but Martin must now ensure the club are ready for their first major challenge when Panathinaikos come to town next month.
Prevail into the next round, and dare I say it, the Champions League league phase, then the manager will get the majority of supporters onside.
If he stumbles at the first hurdle? Well, the pressure will be on almost straight away.
Who’d want to be a Rangers manager?
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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In a tournament so defined by South American teams, Flamengo have made the most profound impact of any non-European side at the 2025 Club World Cup. This was encapsulated by their performance in the group stage dismantling of Chelsea when the Premier League outfit were made to look extremely ordinary by comparison.
Flamengo dominated the game. They controlled possession and played through Chelsea with ease, securing a 3-1 win that made the Rubro-Negro dark horses to win the first expanded Club World Cup. It was a performance that had the fingerprints of Filipe Luís, former Chelsea left back now Flamengo manager, all over it.
It was only 18 months ago that Luís finishing his playing career. The former Brazilian international started out coaching Flamengo’s under-17s in January 2024 before moving up to the under-20s only a few months later. Even at this early stage, it was clear to many within Flamengo that Luís was destined for big things.
Tite’s sacking in September 2024 opened the door for Luís to take over, first as interim head coach until the end of the season. Within just a few games, though, he had moulded Flamengo in his own image, favouring a possession-heavy style of play that quickly established his team as one of the best in Brazil.
Less than a year later, Flamengo are leading the way at the top of the Brasileirão. They have scored the most goals (24) in the division while conceding the fewest (four). Their underlying numbers are solid, boasting the highest Expected Goals For (18.4) and the lowest Expected Goals Against (6.4).
Brasileirão 2025 table – as it stands
Luís’ team also have the highest average possession share 60.6%, highlighting how the former Atlético Madrid and Chelsea defender wants his side to play. This is a team that is extremely comfortable on the ball. They are even more adept in possession now that Jorginho has arrived following the end of his Arsenal contract.
When Flamengo don’t have the ball, they work hard to win it back as quickly as possible. This was something Chelsea struggled to handle in their meeting with the Brasileirão leaders at the Club World Cup with Gerson particularly effective at winning possession back high up the pitch – he won eight duels.
In midfield, Flamengo’s positional rotations are just as intricate and difficult to track as anything seen at the elite level of European football. Against Chelsea, this prevented the Brazilians’ possession play from becoming predictable and allowed them to consistently create chances to find the back of the net – Flamengo generated five Big Chances and an xG of 2.61.
Luís sets up Flamengo to be narrow in order to create space in the wide areas, primarily for Wesley and Gerson down the right side. Adventurous right back Wesley has been so eye-catching at the Club World Cup that he has been linked with a summer switch to Brighton who apparently admire the 21-year-old.
The trade route from Brazil to Europe for players is well-established. Barely a transfer window goes by without a European giant dipping its hand into the Brazilian talent pool for a teenage prodigy – see Neymar, Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo and many others. For managers, though, the path isn’t so well trodden.
On his current trajectory, Luís could change this. The 39-year-old’s coaching style surely has European clubs monitoring his progress with Flamengo’s proactive game overlapping with that of many teams at the top of the Big Five leagues. Further success at the Club World Cup would make Luís even more attractive.
There’s still plenty for the 39-year-old to achieve in Brazil before he moves on. Luís has publicly targeted a third Copa Libertadores crown in six years to further strengthen Flamengo’s standing as the dominant force of this era of South American club football. Ending a five-year league title drought is also a priority.
A deep run at the 2025 Club World Cup is on the cards too – albeit they will face Bayern Munich in the Round of 16. Flamengo are much closer to being the finished article than many of the European teams at the competition with Inter Milan, Manchester City and Real Madrid all in the middle of a transition. Two of those three teams have introduced new managers this summer.
As a player, Luís operated under some of the best managers in the world. At Atlético Madrid, he worked under Diego Simeone over two spells. At Chelsea, the left back played for José Mourinho. Luís clearly picked up many lessons that have served him well as a coach, but the Flamengo manager is now implanting his own ideas. It won’t be long until he’s back in Europe.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from the Club World Cup with FotMob this summer – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
The 3-1 defeat to Flamengo was damaging for Chelsea. Not only did it put Enzo Maresca’s team on the back foot at the Club World Cup, it highlighted how the Blues remain a work-in-progress this summer.
Chelsea were distinctly second best against the Brazilian league leaders. It didn’t help that they were reduced to 10 men following Nicolas Jackson’s moment of madness minutes after the Senegalese striker was introduced off the bench.
Maresca needs a positive response from his players against Espérance, not just to reset the tone within the dressing room, but to secure a place in the last 16 of the Club World Cup. An early exit would be humiliating.
A draw would be enough for Chelsea to progress. Espérance, however, can make the last 16 by beating the Premier League outfit after seeing off Los Angeles FC in their last game.
The Tunisians have only lost once in all competitions since the start of April and will look to play on the break as they did against Flamengo when the Brazilians found it challenging to break through.
Key players
Liam Delap will lead the line for Chelsea with Jackson unavailable through suspension. The former Ipswich Town striker already looks to have dislodged Jackson from the lineup and is searching for his first goal in blue.
Cole Palmer was deployed on the right side of Chelsea’s midfield for the game against Flamengo, limiting his influence as an attacking threat. Maresca could therefore shift Palmer back into a central role to face Espérance.
Pedro Neto has enjoyed a strong tournament to date, scoring in back-to-back games. The winger will be a threat once more with his direct running and determination to get into the final third.
Youcef Belaïli scored the winning goal for Espérance against LAFC and the 33-year-old attacker is expected to be the Tunisian’s most dangerous player when they come up against Chelsea in Philadelphia.
Elias Mokwana will be another threat to the Chelsea backline with the 25-year-old set to start on the right wing where he will be up against Marc Cucurella. At the back, Yassine Meriah will be charged with organising the defensive line.
Team news
Maher Kanzari has a fully fit and available squad to choose from as Espérance attempt to reach the knockout rounds of the Club World Cup with what would be the biggest result in the Tunisian club’s history.
Jackson is suspended after seeing red in the loss to Flamengo, as mentioned. However, it’s likely Delap would have started as Chelsea’s first-choice centre forward regardless of Jackson’s availability.
Levi Colwill and Reece James are doubts due to illness. The pair missed training on Monday and might not have recovered in time. This could force Maresca to reshuffle his defence and midfield, meaning Roméo Lavia and Tosin Adarabioyo might be in line to start.
Prediction
After the embarrassment caused by Flamengo on Matchday 2 we’re fully expecting the Premier League side to respond and seal their progression safely through to the knockout stages of the competition: Espérance 0-2 Chelsea.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from the Club World Cup with FotMob this summer – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
