Brazilian side Fluminense pulled off another major upset at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, defeating Inter Milan 2-0 to book their place in the quarter-finals, where they will face Al-Hilal, the team that knocked out Manchester City.
German Cano opened the scoring just three minutes into the match, meeting a cross with a well-timed stooping header to give Fluminense the perfect start.
Despite heavy pressure from Inter Milan, substitute Hercules sealed the victory with a stunning curling effort from the edge of the box in the closing stages, catching the Italian defence off guard.
Inter Milan dominated possession, controlling 68% of the ball and outshooting their South American opponents 16-11, but their inability to convert chances proved costly.
Lautaro Martinez was especially dangerous, striking the post late in the second half and creating several opportunities, while Federico Dimarco came close twice from free-kicks and had a tight-angle shot saved.
Inter’s best opportunity fell to Stefan de Vrij, who failed to finish after Martinez set him up with a clever knockdown in the six-yard box. Despite sustained attacking waves, Inter lacked the finishing touch, often finding no one in position to capitalise on rebounds.
The match was played in front of a modest 20,030 fans at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, marking a disappointing exit for the European giants and another triumph for Brazilian football, as Fluminense joined Palmeiras in the quarter-finals.
Fluminense will now face Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Friday, in what promises to be a high-stakes showdown between two of the tournament’s surprise packages.
