Western media: South American team saves the Club World Cup, fans support the scene, and multiple teams lead the group

In this club World Cup, South American teams and fans became the protagonists. More than 200,000 fans from Boca Youth, Flamengo, Palmeiras and Riverbed flocked to the United States to set off a football craze. Except for the only loss to a European team, almost all the other games were led by South American teams. All four Brazilian teams lead their respective groups. For FIFA, this is undoubtedly a shot of heart.

South American fans swept the United States

In the past few days, Miami's North Beach seemed to have become a "Boca Town", and nearly 50,000 Boca fans from afar have left countless unforgettable scenes here. The beaches and streets are "occupied" by fans, extending from the depths of Miami Beach to the famous tourist resort Ocean Avenue.

Similar scenes also appear in New York - Palmeiras fans are crowded with Times Square; and in Philadelphia, flamenco supporters set off a "flamenco frenzy" from the Art Museum Park (known for the steps in the movie "Rocky") to the city's famous Liberty Bell. Riverbed fans are active in Los Angeles and Seattle. Overall, about 200,000 fans from South America rushed to the United States to watch the game, although the journey was not only expensive, but also extremely difficult to organize, for example, it took 10 hours to fly from Buenos Aires to Miami.

Just like the National Team World Cup, the club World Cup has also been deeply imprinted by South America. They have the most fan base and the most serious attitude, which also brings the greatest value to the event. For example, the Boca Youth almost filled the Miami Hard Rock Stadium, which can accommodate 64,000 people, while Flamenco's game in Philadelphia also attracted 71,000 spectators. In contrast, there are few fans from Europe and Asia, and although African fans are also present, the number is small. What really supported this event was the American team, especially the teams under the South American Football Federation, and some teams from Central, North America and the Caribbean. Without their participation, this club World Cup may have been greatly disappointed.

In addition to the enthusiasm of the fans, the performance of South American teams on the court is also amazing. Currently, only Boca Youth lost to European team Bayern Munich, and the two sides were evenly matched in that game. In other games, Botafogo defeated Paris Saint-Germain, Flamengo defeated Chelsea, Miami International defeated Porto... These victories also made European coaches sigh.

Dortmund coach Nick Kovac said: "This time and climate conditions make this World Cup very suitable for South American teams." Manchester City coach Guardiola and Chelsea coach Maresca also hold the same view.

In fact, South American teams have clearly outperformed European opponents. All four Brazilian teams are currently leading their respective groups. In recent years, Brazilian clubs have invested a lot in signings, and even competed with European giants in the competition for some players. But this is the first time to achieve such a result in such a high-standard international competition. Previously, only Corinthian won the Club World Cup in 2012 with the old seven teams. FIFA has long anticipated the huge influence of South American fans and has made full preparations for this. After the lottery results were released, FIFA deliberately arranged these South American powerhouses in cities with the largest stadium and strategic locations: Boca Youth in Miami, Palmeiras in New York-New Jersey, Flamenco in Philadelphia, and Riverbed in Los Angeles. Ticket sales in these areas are much faster than other participating teams, and also heralds the current situation.

FIFA President Infantino himself also frequently shared the enthusiastic scenes of South American fans on social media, focusing almost exclusively on the performance of these teams.

It is worth mentioning that at the FIFA Federation summit held in Miami, Infantino also revealed to Brazilian Football Association Chairman Samir Shoud that the next club World Cup in 2029 may be held in Brazil. This statement is undoubtedly another affirmation of the important position of South American football.