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2025 FIFA Club World Cup: Group F Preview
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup kicks off on June 14th, and 32 teams will embark on a quest to lift the Club World Cup trophy in the first edition of an expanded format. With the match being hosted in the United States, the team payouts are higher and the stakes are higher for the teams involved as they hope to prove they are the best club in the world.
Group F is an open group where there could be a couple of dark horse candidates. We take a look at the teams in this group and who could emerge as the favorites to move through to the knockout stage.
Fluminense
League: Brasileiro Serie A (Brazil)
How they qualified: 2023 Copa Libertadores winners
Fluminense will not be afraid of any team in the group.
Top Players
Thiago Silva is back in a major tournament! The 40-year-old defender is the captain for Fluminense, and he will try to help steady the defense. Jhon Arias is someone that is poised to break out, and it could help really generate some creativity in their offense.
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Team Synopsis
Fluminense hasn't tapped the maximum of their ability yet, and they hope to take this opportunity to take a huge step forward. Their ability to score has been an issue at times for them during the season, and they can't afford to waste chances against the teams in the Club World Cup.
Borussia Dortmund
League: Bundesliga (Germany)
How they qualified: 3rd best UEFA team in 4-year ranking
Can Gio Reyna make an impact, or will he struggle to get minutes?
Top Players
Fans of the USMNT will no doubt focus on whether Gio Reyna can make an impact during the tournament. There is also American Cole Campbell who may make the bench for Dortmund during the group stage. However, Serhou Guirassy was the talisman this season for the Black and Yellow, scoring 34 goals across all competitions. His production is vital to Dortmund's success.
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Team Synopsis
Dortmund is a strong team and they're built to withstand the pressure of a major tournament. They need to remain organized on defense, as that is where some of their struggles come to the surface. They should be one of the better teams in this group, but if they slip into some of the bad play that plagued them at times during the season, they can make it very difficult on themselves.
Ulsan HD
League: K League 1 (South Korea)
How they qualified: Best AFC team in 4-year ranking
Ulsan hope to turn people onto K League soccer.
Top Players
Heo Yool leads Ulsan in goals so far this season, and he has the work rate to continue that production in the group stage. Um Won-sang is one of the commanders of the midfield and he helps the team push forward.
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Team Synopsis
Ulsan is a team that most fans in the United States have not seen outside of the occasional Club World Cup from years past. That doesn't mean that they should be counted out. Ulsan is a very organized team defensively and they will attempt to keep their names at the forefront of people's minds with their play. The question will be whether they can generate the offense needed to win some games.
Mamelodi Sundowns
League: Betway Premiership (South Africa)
How they qualified: 2nd best CAF team in 4-year ranking
Mamelodi Sundowns hope to let the world know that they should never be underestimated.
Top Players
Lucas Ribeiro Costa (14 goals) and Igraam Rayners (13 goals) were the top scorers in the Betway Premiership this season, and the 1-2 punch will be counted on to provide more scoring for the Sundowns in the group stage.
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Team Synopsis
Mamelodi Sundowns is just used to winning so far in the 2020s. They have won the South African Premiership 5 straight times and won the inaugural African Football League (CAF's version of the Nations League) in 2023. With some prolific scoring, they hope to bring that open style of soccer to the Club World Cup and leave the tournament with fans finally understanding that African soccer begins at Sundown.
Group Predictions
Borussia Dortmund should have the firepower to advance out of Group F, while the second team to get out of the group could be a toss up. Each team has the ability to win, but in the end it's Fluminense's experience that pulls them through.
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