Our FIFA Club World Cup Fantasy 2025 team previews continue with Fluminense, who are expected to qualify for the knockout stage in the US.
Their players should particularly be popular Fantasy picks from Matchday 2, once the clash with Borussia Dortmund is out of the way.
In these articles, you’ll find top goalscorers, leading assist-makers, a rough predicted XI and our pick of the players worth considering selecting in your FIFA Club World Cup Fantasy teams.
Data in this piece comes from Fbref and WhoScored.
How to play the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Fantasy game
FLUMINENSE: OVERVIEW
While Fluminense won the 2023 Copa Libertadores title, the club have struggled since and only narrowly avoided relegation in 2024.
The sale of key midfielder Andre to Wolverhampton Wanderers hardly helped, but others in the squad failed to step up and build on their previous good form.
That said, current coach Renato Gaucho took over in April and has quickly improved matters, making Fluminense competitive domestically again.
Indeed, at the midway point of the Brazilian season, they sit fifth after 11 matches, having kept three clean sheets in their last six in all competitions.
Dortmund will admittedly be a tough ask in Matchday 1, but don’t be surprised if the Brazilians qualify alongside the Germans and make the knockout stage.
GROUP FIXTURES
BOOKIES PREDICTIONS
| To Qualify | To Win Group | |
|---|---|---|
| Fluminense | 75.2% | 29.9% |
| Borussia Dortmund | 85.6% | 59.8% |
| Ulsan HD | 23.6% | 6.9% |
| Mamelodi Sundowns | 15.6% | 3.4% |
LEAGUE TOP SCORERS
(After 11 games played)
- Kevin Serna ($4.7m, FWD) – 3
11 players on 1 goal
LEAGUE TOP ASSIST-MAKERS
(After 11 games played)
- John Arias ($6.2m, MID) – 4
4 players on 1 assist
SET-PIECE TAKERS
Penalties
- John Arias ($6.2m, MID)
- Everaldo ($4.5m, FWD)
- German Cano ($5.9m, FWD)
Everaldo took and missed Fluminense’s last penalty in May.
Arias was the last player to be successful from the spot, with Cano scoring twice from 12 yards in January.
Corners + free-kicks
- John Arias ($6.2m, MID)
- Gabriel Fuentes ($4.0m, DEF)
Arias has taken the vast majority of corners for Fluminense this season (34), with no one else delivering more than five.
TOP FANTASY PICKS
JHON ARIAS ($6.2m) – MID
Jhon Arias is Fluminense’s most creative player, who also takes corners, free-kicks and penalties.
The Colombian international has four league assists in 11 league appearances this season. He also averages 2.5 key passes per match, the fourth-highest rate of any player in the division, as the vast majority of the Tricolor’s attacks go through him.
Easily the club’s best player, Arias is superb in one-v-one situations and is equally comfortable operating in central or wider areas.
“Arias is one of those players who can change a game.” – Renato Gaucho
THIAGO SILVA ($4.7m) – DEF
Thiago Silva is the captain of Fluminense and currently sits in 2% of Club World Cup Fantasy squads.
The former Chelsea centre-back carries clean sheet potential in Matchdays 2 and 3, when Fluminense face Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns.
Silva can also be a persistent threat at set-pieces, which he often showcased during his time in the Premier League.
GERMAN CANO ($5.9m) – FWD
A cult hero at Fluminense, who has scored 105 goals in 196 appearances in all competitions for the Brazilian club.
The 37-year-old striker has been sidelined since late-April but has been seen back in training ahead of the Club World Cup.
He’d had a quiet-ish start to the Serie A campaign, scoring just one goal in six league games before injury struck.
But his record in other 2025 competitions (domestic cup, continental cup, Rio state league) hints at his goalscoring knack: 13 goals in 14 starts and three substitute appearances.
Matchday 1 will be a good audition to see how match-fit he is before we consider him for the juicier-looking double-header against Ulsan and Sundowns.
EARLY PREDICTED XI
Rotation at full-back has been quite frequent, especially at left-back, where Fuentes is an alternative.
News is awaited on whether Cano is ready to start.
READ MORE OF OUR FANTASY FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 CONTENT
GROUP A: Mexico | South Africa | Korea Republic | Czechia
GROUP B: Canada | Bosnia & Herzegovina | Qatar | Switzerland
GROUP C: Brazil | Morocco | Haiti | Scotland
GROUP D: USA | Paraguay | Australia | Turkiye
GROUP E: Germany | Curacao | Cote d’Ivoire | Ecuador
GROUP F: Netherlands | Japan | Sweden | Tunisia
GROUP G: Belgium | Egypt | Iran | New Zealand
GROUP H: Spain | Cabo Verde | Saudi Arabia | Uruguay
GROUP I: France | Senegal | Iraq | Norway
GROUP J: Argentina | Algeria | Austria | Jordan
GROUP K: Portugal | DR Congo | Uzbekistan | Colombia
GROUP L: England | Croatia | Ghana | Panama
Round 1 Scout Picks | Round 1 best captains | Round 1 best differentials: | Sleep-friendly XV | Players to avoid | Team reveals | Best players by position + price
Predicted line-ups | Penalty + corner takers | Direct free-kick takers
How to play World Cup 2026 Fantasy | What is ‘Scouting Bonus’? | How to order your starters + subs | Can you captain, transfer or sub 12th Man? | 150 of the best, worst and funniest team names
Join our mini-league + win prizes! | Stats Centre | FREE AI Team Rater | Fixture Ticker | Scouting Bonus tracker | Fixture calendar
