South America’s Club World Cup Dominance: A Prediction Fulfilled

What does you notice about the photo above?

The statue was recorded by Vitor Silva, the house photographer of the Brazilian Botafogo, and has been completely viral on social media in the last days. Because what seems to be just fire at first glance, a much bigger story tells.

If you look closely at the shape of the flame, you will see the South American continent looming in striking.

Although it has come to light that the photo dates from a few weeks ago during a cup match in Brazil, it has only really gained meaning at the World Cup for clubs.

With our football -crazy friends, it is pushed forward as an omen for the surprising dominance – between the lines, but also far beyond – of the South American teams at the World Cup for clubs.

Is it symbolism or is more behind it? The flame has already been completely skipped.

Just look at the matches of European clubs against South American competitors.

It has become much more than a clash of styles. The heart opposite the head – and for the time being that first seems to prevail.

A striking finding after two match days: Only Vincent Kompany was able to win from a South American team.

With Bayern Munich he made it (narrowly) of the Boca Juniors: 2-1. He broke through the remarkable streak of nine unbeaten competitions in a row of the South American teams.

And there were also some firm outliers in between. Botafogo Stuntte against Champions League winner PSG (1-0), Flamengo pulled out against Chelsea (3-1) and Fluminense held Borussia Dortmund on 0-0. Almost every South American club is currently also in the lead of his group.

“It would not surprise me if a South American club wins the World Cup for clubs this year,” it already sounded confident at Flamengo-coach Filipe Luís after the victory against his ex-club Chelsea.

They are big words of the Flamengo coach, but you can’t call it anymore.

Okay, it is suggested in analyzes that the South Americans have a practical advantage: they are in the middle of their season, while the European participants physically walk on their gums. And also the tropical climate, the many journeys, the time differences and the other fields would be an advantage.

But what is perhaps even more decisive is what is happening around the field. Where European fans barely showed up for their teams, South American fans often caused a migration.

In Pasadena, after their victory, Botafogo celebrated against PSG as if it won the final, while thousands of Flamengo supporters in Philadelphia were the Lincoln Financial Field.

It was already in stark contrast with the 50,000 empty seats that created a strange atmosphere during the match between Chelsea and Lafc.

And it doesn’t stop there either: the fans also leave their mark on this tournament outside the stadiums.

The images of collecting and fouring supporters legions across the United States and the South American continent are countless. Perhaps the most striking: Fluminense supporters who flooded Times with flags, drums and fireworks. A ‘Bandeiraço’ that you normally only expect in Rio de Janeiro, not at the busiest intersection in New York.

It was already the second big party of the Tricolores in the US: earlier this week they chartered a boat for a noisy trip on the Hudson. And their colleagues from Boca Juniors also flooded a beach in Miami en masse, where a drone was needed to grasp the people’s sea.

The passion is limitless, just like the turnout: more than 50 million Brazilians watched the first play days – unseen figures for a club tournament.

And all while we label the tournament in Europe as “superfluous”. In South America – where club football is the summit – the World Cup for clubs, on the other hand, is not seen as marketing, but as a mission. There is urge to put their football back on the map. Even more than their national team, they want to see their club world champion.

So where in Europe we are still waiting for the spark for the World Cup for clubs, the fire in South America has long been ignored.