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 were considered the strongest from South America beforehand, Fluzão were the CONMEBOL side that went furthest in the tournament.
They were also the only non-European team to reach the Club World Cup Semi-Finals.
Placed in Group F with Borussia Dortmund, Mamelodi Sundowns, and Ulsan HD, the Brazilian team remained unbeaten and qualified for the Round of 16 as group runners-up behind BVB.
They pulled off the tournament’s big upset by eliminating the 2024/2025 UEFA Champions League runners-up, Inter Milan, by two goals to nil.
In the quarter-finals, they defeated Al-Hilal, who had previously eliminated Manchester City; the fairy tale ended in the semi-finals with a worthy performance against Chelsea, ultimately losing 2-0.
Led by an outstanding figure in the Colombian midfielder/attacking midfielder Jhon Arias, accompanied by super-mobile midfielders prone to support + breaking movements like Matheus Martinelli and long wing-backs ready to receive on the weak side like Samuel Xavier, the team, coached by the former Brazilian national team player, displayed a refreshing style of play.
In this tactical analysis, we will examine Renato Gaúcho style of play and how his Fluminense tactics using Relational Play, led his Brazilian side on an impressive run in the 2025 Club World Cup.
Renato Gaúcho Fluminense Tactics
Asymmetrical Relationships
As he has with other teams he has coached, such as Grêmio and Flamengo, Gaúcho has placed vital importance on short and combative relationships between his players.
Renato Gaúcho’s Grêmio (2023).
Even though his Fluminense usually forms in an on-ball structure of 3-2-2-3 (stemming from a 5-3-2 off the ball) like most positional teams, Fluzão usually operate with broad corporal freedom: bodies can move out of their positions, in, out, up, down.
Fluminense fix Al Hilal’s five-man defensive line through a uniform distribution of space; however, John Arias, initially a forward within the system, drifts wide to receive the ball freely.
This means they can afford not to occupy a specific space (as is expected in positional play paradigms) and cross the field to create a strong side asymmetry compared to the weak side, enhancing short and combinative relationships.
“Everything has to do with everything and nothing happens that can’t happen, but the interactions between players are interactions, not actions.”
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