Aksel Kryhlmand
The football graveyard is full of so-called favourites.
European hegemony in the Club World Cup has come to a dramatic halt.
For the first time in over a decade, two non-European clubs, Inter Miami of the United States and Botafogo of Brazil, delivered seismic shocks on Thursday, defeating Porto and Paris Saint-Germain respectively, and ending 13 years of European dominance in intercontinental club competition.
Messi Magic Rescues Inter Miami
In Philadelphia, Lionel Messi proved once again why he remains a defining figure in world football. After Inter Miami fell behind to a struggling Porto side, the Argentine maestro turned the game on its head.
With the match tied late in the second half, Messi delivered a trademark curling free kick, swerving the ball into the top corner and sending the MLS champions into the next round with a 2-1 win.
While Porto are enduring one of their most underwhelming seasons in recent history, the result marks a milestone moment for Major League Soccer, showcasing its clubs’ growing legitimacy on the global stage.
Botafogo Stun PSG with Tactical Brilliance
But the bigger shock came hours later as Botafogo claimed a 1-0 win over UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.
In a masterclass of tactical discipline, the Brazilian champions executed a compact defensive scheme that neutralised PSG’s attacking arsenal. Despite the French giants dominating possession, clear chances were few and far between.
Igor Jesus finished off a rapid first-half counterattack to score the game’s only goal, capitalising on a rare PSG lapse.
Botafogo’s Portuguese coach Renato Paiva summarised it bluntly:
The football graveyard is full of so-called favourites.
The Brazilian side had prepared meticulously, arriving in the U.S. weeks in advance and holding a high-intensity training camp in Los Angeles. This careful buildup stood in stark contrast to their fatigued end-of-year performances in previous tournaments, notably at the Intercontinental Cup.