Rounding off our FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group C team previews, it’s Benfica.
This article includes a guide to the Portuguese side’s top Fantasy picks, details their leading goalscorers and assist-makers, and outlines their usual set-piece and penalty takers.
Data in this piece comes from Fbref and WhoScored.
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BENFICA: OVERVIEW
Based on last season’s achievements, Benfica are the better of the two Portuguese sides – Porto are the other – taking part in the Club World Cup.
They ran Sporting Lisbon close in the league, missing out by two points on the title. They were also narrowly edged out by their city rivals in the Portuguese Cup final, which they lost in extra time.
Bruno Lage’s side had some memorable moments in the UEFA Champions League, as well.
There was a 4-0 hammering of Atletico Madrid, not to mention away wins at Monaco, Red Star Belgrade and Juventus. The nine-goal thriller against Barcelona was one of the matches of the season, too, and it was Barca who were to eventually end Benfica’s European campaign in the round of 16.
Indeed, the Eagles are involved in the Club World Cup due to their strong performances in Europe over the previous four years.
Runs to the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2021/22 and 2022/23 went a long way to sealing their place in America this summer.
The fact that they don’t face Group C favourites Bayern Munich till Matchday 3 means that their players will be appealing from the get-go in Club World Cup Fantasy – and especially so in Matchday 2 when they face Auckland City.
Group fixtures
Bookies predictions
| To Qualify | To Win Group | |
|---|---|---|
| Bayern Munich | 84.8% | 59.2% |
| Auckland City | 2.8% | 0.8% |
| Boca Juniors | 50.0% | 17.8% |
| Benfica | 62.4% | 22.2% |
League Top Scorers
- Vangelis Pavlidis ($7.8m, FWD) – 19
- Kerem Aktürkoğlu ($7.2m, MID) – 11
- Ángel Di María ($7.3m, MID) – 8
League Top Assist-Makers
- Kerem Aktürkoğlu ($7.2m, MID) – 9
- Orkun Kökçü ($6.6m, MID) – 7
- Vangelis Pavlidis ($7.8m, FWD) – 7
Set-piece takers
PENALTIES
- Angel Di Maria ($7.3m, MID)
- Vangelis Pavlidis ($7.8m, FWD)
- Orkun Kokcu ($6.6m, MID)
Benfica’s penalties run into double figures in 2024/25, with Pavlidis and Di Maria responsible for most of them.
Di Maria was the last to take one, doing so with Pavlidis on the field.
All of the Greek striker’s five penalties have been when Di Maria was not involved on the pitch.
CORNERS AND INDIRECT FREE-KICKS
- Orkun Kokcu ($6.6m, MID)
- Angel Di Maria ($7.3m, MID)
- Samuel Dahl ($4.8m, DEF)
- Kerem Akturkoglu ($7.2m, MID)
The vast majority of Benfica’s corners were taken by Kokcu and Di Maria this season.
Three of Kokcu’s seven assists indeed came from free-kicks and corners.
TOP FANTASY PICKS
Vangelis Pavlidis ($7.8m) – FWD
Pavlidis was one of the standout players of the Portuguese League last season, even though his performances were overshadowed by the extraordinary scoring feats of Viktor Gyökeres.
The Greece international’s 19 league goals placed him joint-second in the division. He had 81 shots – no Benfica player registered more – and ranked third in the league for shots on target (34).
His seven league assists ranked him joint-sixth in the division, while his six goals in eight Champions League matches are the mark of an elite-level goalscorer.
He also converted all five penalties he took last season.
Kerem Aktürkoğlu ($7.2m) – MID
The summer signing from Galatasaray excelled in his first campaign in Portugal.
The electric left winger proved an absolute menace for defenders, racking up 11 league goals to place joint-fifth in the Primeira Liga’s scorers charts.
A total of nine assists ranked him joint-second in the charts for goal creators, too.
Aktürkoğlu was joint-eighth in the league for shots on goal (64), and third at his club for key passes (41).
A player who loves to set up goals as well as score them, the Turkey international could fare very well at this tournament.
Nicolás Otamendi ($5.2m)
He may be 37 years old but Otamendi has probably been the best defender in the Portuguese top flight this season.
Though he is out of contract on 30 June, he is expected to see out the Club World Cup before deciding whether or not to take up Benfica’s offer of a contract extension.
The former Man City centre-back is a superb reader of the game, a natural leader and a key reason why the Eagles kept their goals conceded tally down to a low 28.
He made a league-leading 60 interceptions in the Portuguese top flight, was top at his club for clearances (117) and aerial duel wins (123) and also threatened at the other end of the pitch, where he is particularly adept in the air.
Only five Benfica players had more than Otamendi’s 28 shots on goal last season and the Argentinian defender produced six goals and two assists in the league.
With defenders earning seven points for a goal and five for a clean sheet, the veteran could well reward Fantasy managers.
EARLY PREDICTED XI
Schjelderup and Bruma are alternatives out wide to Di Maria, who will leave Benfica after the tournament.
Regular left-back Carreras looks like he’s on his way to Real Madrid, so Dahl will be poised to step up.
READ MORE OF OUR FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP FANTASY 2025 CONTENT
GROUP A: Palmeiras | Porto | Al Ahly | Inter Miami
GROUP B: PSG | Atletico Madrid | Botafogo | Seattle Sounders
GROUP C: Bayern Munich | Auckland City | Boca Juniors | Benfica
GROUP D: Flamengo | ES Tunis | Chelsea | Los Angeles FC
GROUP E: River Plate | Urawa Red Diamonds | Monterrey | Inter Milan
GROUP F: Fluminense | Borussia Dortmund | Ulsan HD | Mamelodi Sundowns
GROUP G: Manchester City | Wydad Casablanca | Al Ain | Juventus
GROUP H: Real Madrid | Al Hilal | Pachuca | Red Bull Salzburg
Complete Guide | How to play | Bookies’ odds | Set-piece takers | Best team names | FPL Milanista’s top tips, Booster strategy + team reveal | Fixture ticker | Join our mini-league + win prizes! | Team reveals
Best goalkeepers | Best defenders | Best midfielders | Best forwards | Best differentials
Matchday 1 Scout Picks | Best Matchday 1 captains
16 days, 19 hours agoI'm not saying that this place is dying a slow death but I made this comment on June 17th 1987.