From stunning upsets to goal-fests, the group stage delivered 144 goals across 48 thrilling matches - here are some of the main talking points.

Brazilian teams excel

All four teams from the Brazilian Serie A secured qualification to the knockout round following fearless attacking displays in the group stages.

Only four players were named Man of the Match twice during the group stages, and they were all from Brazilian clubs, with Palmeiras winger Estevao, Botafogo forward Igor Jesus, Flamengo midfielder Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Fluminense playmaker Jhon Arias all bagging multiple awards.

Many scouts will have taken notice of the players from South America with the intention to sign them during the European summer transfer window.

Chelsea bound winger Estevao, 18, has already showed why the Blues agreed a reported total of 57 million euro free to sign him ahead of the 2025/26 season, inspiring Palmeiras to the knockout round with his dazzling performances.

African teams impress but fall short

None of the teams from the African contingent managed to advance past the group stages despite displaying some encouraging performances.

Three of the four teams had hired new coaches within the last three months, assigning them with the tasks of leading Al Ahly, Esperance and Wydad Athletic to the Club World Cup, with coach Miguel Cardoso joining Mamelodi Sundowns in January.

Al Ahly in particular, will rue Trezeguet's missed penalty in the opening 0-0 draw against Inter Miami, a win in that match could have snuck the Egyptians into the last 16.

Mamelodi Sundowns also impressed initially, dominating South Korean side Ulsan in a 1-0 win before rallying back to lose 4-3 against Borussia Dortmund in a highly entertaining clash.

However, the South African champions failed to score in their last fixture against Fluminense despite creating some big chances in the clash, ultimately bowing out of the Club World Cup by the narrowest of margins.

Esperance were eliminated following a 3-0 loss against Chelsea, having kept their hopes alive after a 1-0 win against LA Galaxy in their previous clash.

Wydad Athletic were the only African team to fail to get a single point in the group stages, losing all three matches despite leading in the last two games against Juventus and Al Ain.

Overall, a lack of experience on the world stage may have contributed to the failure of any of the teams to qualify, but they can be proud of their efforts, which saw several of their players impress in the global showpiece.

Impressive African moments included Mamelodi Sundowns star Lucas Ribeiro's 67-metre solo run to score a Goal of the Tournament contender against Borussia Dortmund, and Al Ahly striker Wessam Abou Ali's hat-trick against Porto in a 4-4 thriller.

Wydad winger Thembinkosi Lorch also impressed in the tournament, bagging a composed chipped-finish goal against Serie A giants in their 4-1 defeat.

Introduction of new players

Many of the top teams have used the FIFA Club World Cup to give an opportunity to new singings and young players ahead of the new season.

Chelsea's Liam Delap, Real Madrid's Dean Huijsen, 20, Gonzalo Garcia, 21, Borussia Dortmund's Jobe Bellingham, 19, and Paris Saint-Germain's Ibrahim Mbaye, all made impressive debuts for their new teams ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

These players represent a growing trend of top clubs giving opportunities to young players in high-profile tournaments and are set to play an important role in deciding the winners of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

Big gun Atletico, Porto crash out

Atletico Madrid's horrendous start in the 4-1 drubbing against European champions Paris Saint-Germain is the main reason Diego Simeone's side were eliminated in the group stage.

Despite being level on points with Brazilian side Botafogo, the Spanish outfit crashed out due to an inferior goal difference.

Porto, on the other hand, failed to produce a victory, struggling to claim two draws and a loss in a group that many would have felt was an easier draw for the Portuguese giants.

Possible swansong for older stars

The tournament has seen older stars getting another opportunity to play in a global tournament with the likes of Monterrey's Sergio Ramos, 39, Benfica's Angel Di Maria, 37 Real Madrid's Luka Modric, 38 Fluminense's Fabio, 44, and Inter Miami's Lionel Messi, 38, all playing important roles for their teams.

It is unlikely that many of these players will feature at next year's 2026 FIFA World Cup, and this may have been the last time we see them in action in a major tournament.

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