Group D of the Club World Cup wrapped up with Flamengo comfortably on top with seven points, Chelsea in second with six points, Espérance de Tunis were third with three points, and LAFC see themselves at the bottom with a singular point.
Flamengo have advanced to the Round of 16, and remain unbeaten, Chelsea have bounce through after a hiccup, ES Tunis were competitive but fell short, and LAFC have left with just a point.
Flamengo: Libertadores Winners to Group D Leaders
Flamengo secured their place at the 2025 Club World Cup by winning the 2022 Copa Libertadores – a 1-0 victory over Athletico Paranaense courtesy of a Gabriel Barbosa goal on October 29, 2022.
In the US, they opened with a 2-0 win over Espérance, backed by control and confidence.
Then came the headline moment. Down 1-0 to Chelsea on June 20, they stormed back with goals by Bruno Henrique in the 62nd minute, which was closely followed by a Danilo goal just three minutes after.
Wallace Yan scored in the final stint, the final dagger after Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson was sent off for a studs-up challenge.
A 1-1 draw with LAFC in their final match completed a flawless group showing: undefeated, top of Group D, seven points in the bag.
Up next for the Brazilian club is a RO16 clash against German giants Bayern Munich.
Chelsea: European Return and Group Survival
Chelsea qualified thanks to their 2020/21 UEFA Champions League win and took part as one of UEFA’s representatives in the expanded format.
Under Enzo Maresca, they rotated heavily to cope with fatigue and heat, fresh off their Conference League title win on May 28, 2025.
The Blues kicked off with a straightforward 2-0 over LAFC in Atlanta.
Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez both found the back of the net, assisted by Chelsea’s No.9s, Nicolas Jackson and Liam Delap.
The Chelsea-Flamengo duel on June 20 proved pivotal. After Neto’s early strike, Jackson’s red card shifted momentum and the 3-1 loss followed.
In their final game, they responded with a sharp 3-0 win over Espérance, securing their second-round spot with goals from Tosin Adarabioyo, Liam Delap, and Tyrique George.
Despite advancing, discipline and depth remain concerns.
The Blues will face Benfica in the next round.
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Espérance de Tunis: CAF’s Best-Ranked, Respectably Strong
Espérance qualified as the best-ranked CAF team over the previous four years, earning their first-ever Club World Cup group-stage slot.
They’ve been dominant domestically, with 34 Tunisian league titles.
They started with a 2-0 defeat to Flamengo but bounced back on June 20, beating LAFC 1-0.
In their game against the MLS club, Espérance’s goalkeeper, Youcef Belaili, crucially saved a late penalty.
Though they narrowly missed progression – edged out by Chelsea’s final game – their performance silenced doubters. They finished on three points.
LAFC: CONCACAF Playoffs to Group Bottom
LAFC punched their ticket with a dramatic 2-1 extra-time win over Club América in a CONCACAF playoff on May 31, 2025.
Their debut against Premier League giants ended in a 2-0 loss, despite a resolute display.
Against Espérance, they hit back. However, with their penalty attempt saved, they still lost 1-0 and were eliminated early.
In their final match, a 1-1 draw with Flamengo saw them grab a historic point, but it was too little, too late.
They finished with one point, bottom of the group.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Eibner
Recording Date: 20.06.2025