FIFA Club World Cup

As Xabi Alonso embarks on his first full season in charge of Real Madrid, one question stands out above all others: How is he trying to get the best out of this immensely talented squad? For years, Los Blancos' success has relied heavily on individual brilliance rather than on a...

We began this series intending to dissect Manchester City's in-possession approach for 2025/2026. First, we explored the build-up, analysing the ideas of Pep Guardiola and his new assistant Pep Lijnders, particularly against man-marking high-pressing schemes, which is a common trend these days. Then, we examined their progression phase and the...

In our previous Pep Guardiola and Pepijn Lijnders analysis, we began exploring Manchester City’s in-possession tactics by focusing on their build-up. The phase in which Pep Guardiola’s side demonstrated tactical flexibility and diversity in their game plan, adapting based on the starting personnel and showing resilience against the opposition’s high-pressing...

Rondo and possession exercises are now staples in most modern football coaches' repertoires. They can, and should, be used throughout the season.  However, they can be particularly useful to coaches during pre-season as a way to break down the components of a particular game model while providing enough intensity to...

After a season that fell short of their usual dominance, Manchester City approached the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup with a refreshed outlook, both on the pitch and in the coaching setup. The club reinforced their squad with several additions, most notably Rayan Cherki from Olympique Lyonnais, Rayan Aït-Nouri from...

Manchester City's staff have witnessed numerous changes aimed at reviving the Citizens. The most notable new additions are former Liverpool coaches Pepijn Lijnders and James French. Lijnders has been appointed as assistant coach, while James French joins as set-piece coach. In the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Manchester City was one of the best teams in...

A few days ago, we analysed the playing style of Renato Gaúcho’s Fluminense and Fluzão's remarkable performance at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The team captured attention not just for reaching the semi-finals — eliminating Inter Milan and Al Hilal along the way — but for the way they...

As coaches prepare for the upcoming season, implementing a cohesive pressing system is crucial for teams seeking to control games when they do not have the ball and when trying to force the opposition to play into areas they feel they can exploit.  Working on a variety of pressing options...

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 in the United States delivered far more than entertainment; it provided a competitive stage where established stars and emerging talents showcased their quality against the world's best. While the headlines were dominated by Chelsea’s tactical discipline and PSG’s attacking flair, the real story of...

After captivating fans for a month, the newly expanded 32-team 2025 FIFA Club World Cup has ended. Ultimately, Premier League giants Chelsea emerged victorious from the competition, defeating Paris Saint-Germain by three goals to nil in Sunday’s Final. In a surprise to many, the 2024/2025 UEFA Conference League champions and...

Fluminense emerged as one of the biggest sensations of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The team led by Renato Gaúcho arrived at the competition with questionable credentials, sitting in seventh place in the Brasileirão standings. Even though teams like Palmeiras, Botafogo (reigning Copa Libertadores champions), and eternal rival Flamengo...

The world’s eyes will be on the FIFA Club World Cup Final between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea on Sunday, July 13th, 2025. Both teams have come a long way and faced many challenges to reach the CWC Final. PSG led their exciting group, which ended with three teams on six...

Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid crashed out of the FIFA Club World Cup in embarrassing fashion at the hands of Luis Enrique's Paris Saint-Germain. The 4-0 thrashing by current Champions League winner PSG showed that Los Blancos have a long way to go to regain their status as one of Europe’s elite...

The inaugural 32-team edition of the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States reaches its final chapter, as Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain prepare to face off in a much-anticipated showdown between two of Europe’s most tactically evolved sides. The Blues arrive in the final after a composed 2–0 victory...

It took until the final day of the Premier League season, but Chelsea secured UEFA Champions League football for 2025/2026. They followed that up with a UEFA Conference League trophy, coming from behind against Real Betis to win dominantly with a 4-1 scoreline. The Blues' path to the 2025 FIFA...

Real Madrid eliminated Juventus from the Round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup with a 1-0 win. Los Blancos advance to the Club World Cup quarter-finals, where they will go on to face Borussia Dortmund. The match confirmed that I Bianconeri will need to make some remarkable adjustments...

When Niko Kovač took over at Borussia Dortmund in early February, his side was 11th in the Bundesliga and appeared likely to miss out on European football in the 2025/2026 season. Even as we reached the end of March, Dortmund had hardly moved an inch in the standings, as they still occupied a place in...

Igor Tudor guided Juventus back to the UEFA Champions League after taking over from Thiago Motta near the end of the 2024/2025 season.  He breathed new life into the squad, and Juventus lost only one of their remaining nine matches of the season, which allowed them to secure fourth place...

Pep Guardiola’s side missed out on a Premier League title for the first time in the last five seasons, finishing in a respectable 3rd place but 13 points behind league leaders Liverpool. Following a relatively unsuccessful season (by Man City standards), which included an FA Cup Final loss to Crystal Palace, Manchester City has made...

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup group stage served as a captivating tactical analysis case study, particularly through the performances of Brazilian clubs Flamengo, Fluminense, Botafogo, and Palmeiras. This report provides a detailed Club World Cup data analysis examining how these teams navigated difficult groups and delivered some of the...