Flamengo vs ES Tunis Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2025 FIFA Club World Cup | Group Stage
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Group D of the FIFA Club World Cup begins as Brazilian giants Flamengo take on Tunisia’s finest, ES Tunis.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV & online: UK – DAZN / US – DAZN
Flamengo team news: Strong squad
Playmaker Giorgian de Arrascaeta has been in fine form domestically in 2025 and his link-up play with striker Pedro will be key to Flamengo’s success in the tournament. In midfield, Gerson, who will depart for Zenit after this tournament, is likely to keep recent signing Jorginho on the bench.
Nicolas de la Cruz could miss this opener with a knee injury, but Gonzalo Plata’s prospects look promising with the winger expected to make the squad.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Rossi; Wesley, Ortiz, Danilo, Sandro; Gerson, Evertton; Araujo, De Arrascaeta, Michael; Pedro
Unavailable:
Questionable: De La Cruz (Injured), Plata (Injured)
ES Tunis team news: Captain Meria boost
ES Tunis have a clean bill of health after club captain Yassine Meriah recently returned from a long-term injury. The centre-back is expected to take his place in the starting line-up as a result.
Wingers Youcef Belaili and Yan Sasse will be the African club’s chief threat, with the latter competing against a team from his native Brazil.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Memmiche; Bouchniba, Jelassi, Meriah, Ben Hamida; Guenichi, Konate, Ogbelu; Sasse, Rodrigues, Belaili
Unavailable:
Questionable:
Key stats
- Flamengo’s previous experience of facing an African team in a FIFA competition was a 4-2 victory against Al Ahly in the match for third place in what is now known as the FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ in Morocco in February 2023 with two goals each from Gabriel Barbosa and Pedro.
- One of the most decorated clubs in Brazil, Flamengo have three CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores titles to their name (1981, 2019 and 2022)
- Flamengo’s success in winning the 2022 CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores courtesy of a 1-0 final win over fellow Brazilian side Athletico Paranaense led to them qualifying for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™.
- Without doubt one of Flamengo’s best players of all-time, Zico – the super-talented Brazilian star playmaker – helped guide the club to a host of state, national and international titles, with highlights including the 1980, 1982 and 1983 Brazilian championships and the 1981 Copa Libertadores.
- Flamengo’s Brazilian striker Pedro enjoyed a remarkable campaign during the club’s run to glory in the 2022 CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores with 12 goals in 13 appearances. He went on to play twice for Brazil at Qatar 2022. His only international goal was scored against Tunisia in a 5-1 victory in a friendly in September 2022.
- ES Tunis are Tunisia’s most successful club having extended their record to 34 league titles when they won the competition this season. They have also been crowned African champions on four occasions, and came close to adding a fifth title in 2024, only losing out 1-0 on aggregate in the final against Al Ahly.
- ES Tunis will enter the FIFA Club World Cup™ in fine form after winning the Tunisian Cup final on 1 June 2025 against Stade Tunisien (1-0) to secure their first-ever domestic treble having also won the Tunisian league and Super Cup this season.
- ES Tunis booked their spot at the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup™ via the CAF ranking pathway thanks to their consistently impressive performances in Africa’s elite club competition over the past four seasons. Indeed, the Tunis giants have racked up no fewer than 15 consecutive campaigns in the CAF Champions League proper.
- ES Tunis’s Brazilian midfielder Yan Sasse has faced Flamengo with three different clubs, Coritiba, Vasco da Gama and América Mineiro.
- Flamengo defenders Danilo and Alex Sandro both won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2011 with Brazil.
Flamengo vs ES Tunis prediction
Of the non-European clubs competing at the FIFA Club World Cup, Flamengo are perhaps the strongest contender with Filipe Luis’ squad boasting plenty of talent throughout. The decorated Brazilian outfit are currently top of Serie A after an excellent start to their domestic campaign and hopes are high that they can muscle in on the European heavyweights.
ES Tunis, meanwhile, qualified for the revamped event courtesy of being the best-ranked CAF club over a span of four years. Dominant in their domestic setting, the Tunisian outfit were runners up in the 2024 CAF Champions League, losing to fellow FIFA Club World Cup participants Al Ahly in the final.
This is unlikely to be a walkover as ES Tunis are a solid defensive outfit, but Flamengo undoubtedly boast the stronger squad and should begin Group D with an important win. With Chelsea to come next for the Brazilians, they know that three points here is absolutely vital and they look equipped to do just that.
Flamengo vs ES Tunis tip: Flamengo to win to nil
