Fluminense: Brazilian pioneers eye FIFA Club World Cup limelight

One of four Brazilian clubs qualified, Fluminense FC are taking aim at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™.

Find out who the Tricolor will face at the tournament, how they booked their place there, and delve into this South American giants' storied history and some of their greatest players of all time.

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Fluminense's Club World Cup group and fixtures

After finishing as runners-up at the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup, Fluminense are back on the global stage and looking to make waves in the US. They will face Borussia Dortmund, Korea Republic heavyweights Ulsan HD, and South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns at the finals.

Group F opponents

• Borussia Dortmund (GER)
• Ulsan HD (KOR)
• Mamelodi Sundowns FC (RSA)

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How they qualified

Fluminense qualified for FIFA Club World Cup 2025 as winners of the 2023 Copa Libertadores to claim one of the six berths allocated to CONMEBOL. In the final against Argentina's Boca Juniors, German Cano's score gave Fluminense a lead at half-time, only for Boca Juniors to equalise in the second stanza through Luis Advincula. However, an extra time goal from John Kennedy propelled Fluminense to a dramatic 2-1 triumph.

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Club Factfile

• Founding: 1902
• Stadium: Maracana
• Nicknames: Tricolor, Nense, Fluzão

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Club history

The Latin word “flumen” means “river”, which is why people born in the state of Rio de Janeiro have always been collectively known as “Fluminenses”. That word has long since acquired another meaning, however, since 21 July 1902 to be exact, when Fluminense Football Club was founded by Oscar Cox.

The Rio club enjoyed a glorious era in its first two decades of existence and went on to win the Torneio Rio-Sao Paulo twice in the 1950s and 60s. O Tricolor das Laranjeiras were the toast of the nation in later years, with icons such as Rivellino rolling off the Flu production line in the 1960s and 70s. A host of trophies in the 1980s, including three consecutive Rio state titles between 1983 and 1985 and the Brazilian title in 1984.

The one major trophy missing from this trailblazing club’s list of honours was the Copa Libertadores, and after a near-miss against LDU Quito of Ecuador in 2008, the club secured the coveted title in 2023. The coaching expertise of Fernando Diniz and the goalscoring prowess of Cano helped fire them to the continental crown and a place at next year’s 32-team tournament.

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Iconic players

Preguinho

Preguinho was a Fluminense pioneer and an all-time legend of Brazilian football. The scorer of A Seleção’s first FIFA World Cup™ goal, at Uruguay 1930, he was always destined to be a club idol – even before he was born – as the son of the writer Coelho Neto, a Fluminense fanatic.

“I hadn’t even learned to speak properly and Fluminense was already in my soul, my heart and my very being,” Preguinho later said.

When he retired, Preguinho turned down the chance to become a football pundit and commentator because he could not bring himself to criticise his beloved Fluminense.

Castilho

Would you cut off a finger out of love for your club? That is exactly what Castilho did. A Fluminense player from 1946 through to 1964, he is one of the greatest of all Tricolor idols and cemented his place in club history in 1957, when he chose to have a finger amputated to speed his recovery from injury and return to goalkeeping duties. Nicknamed “Saint Castilho” on account of his miraculous saves, he enjoyed a glorious career.

A two-time World Cup winner, at Sweden 1958 and Chile 1962 – as an understudy to Gilmar – he played in the same Fluminense side as Santana and won Rio state titles in 1951, 1959, 1960 and 1964 and Torneio Rio-Sao Paulo crowns in 1957 and 1960. His 698 appearances for Fluminense remain a club record.

Fred

With 158 goals in the Brazilian league and another 37 in the Copa do Brasil, Fred recently retired as Fluminense’s second-highest all-time leading scorer with 199 goals. It is little wonder, then, that the Flu faithful used to sing: “Fred’s gonna get you!”

The most lethal of threats, Fred won the Copa America and the FIFA Confederations Cup with Brazil and secured his name in the Fluminense history books with his starring role in the national league title wins of 2010 and 2012, finishing as the top scorer in the second of those campaigns with 20 goals.