Chelsea will take on sides from Brazil, Mexico and Tunisia in the group stage of next summer's FIFA Club World Cup, which will take place in America.
The draw for the tournament – revamped and expanded for its 2025 edition – took place this evening in Miami and the Blues were placed into a group alongside CR Flamengo, Club Leon, and ES Tunis.
We have not previously faced any of those sides in competitive action, although we did take on Flamengo in a pre-season friendly in 1998 and secured a 5-0 victory.
Much can change between now and June when the competition gets underway, but the excitement is beginning to build and here’s what you should know about our Group D opponents…
Full name: Clube de Regatas do Flamengo
Country: Brazil
City: Rio de Janeiro
Formation: 24 December, 1911
Honours: Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A (seven times, most recently 2020), Copa Uniao (1987), Copa do Brasil (Five times, most recently 2024), Supercopa do Brasil (2020, 2021), Copa dos Campeoes (2001), Copa dos Campeoes (2001), Torneio Rio–Sao Paulo (1961), Campeonato Carioca (38 times, most recently 2024), Copa Rio (1991), Copa Libertadores (Three times, most recently 2022), Recopa Sudamericana (2020), Copa Mercosur (1999), Copa de Oro (1996), Intercontinental Cup (1981)
Stadium: Maracana
Colours: Red, Black, and White
Nickname: Rubro-Negro (Scarlet and Black), Mengao (Big Mengo), Malvadao (The Evil One), Urubu (Vulture)
Rivals: CR Vasco da Gama, Vasco da Gama, Botafogo
Filipe Luis: A man who is no stranger to Blues supporters. Filipe Luis spent the 2014/15 campaign at Stamford Bridge and helped us win the Premier League and the League Cup under Jose Mourinho. Our former left-back brought down the curtain on his playing career in December 2023 and began working in Flamengo’s academy set-up.
In September, following the departure of Tite, Filipe Luis was promoted to head coach of the club’s first team. He has enjoyed a strong start and guided the club to the Copa do Brasil last month after defeating Atletico Mineiro over two legs in the final.
There are familiar names throughout the Flamengo squad, but none more so than David Luiz. Across two spells at Stamford Bridge, the defender lifted the Champions League, Premier League, Europa League (twice) and FA Cup (twice) and remains a popular figure among Blues supporters.
Central midfielder Gerson has been capped regularly by Brazil this year having returned to the club from Marseille in December 2022, while winger Luiz Araujo enjoyed four years at Lille and almost two with Atlanta FC.
Forward Gabriel Barbosa, also known as Gabigol, spent time at Inter earlier in his career and has earned 18 caps for Brazil, but it’s fellow forward Pedro who has proved their biggest threat this term, with 11 goals struck in the Brasileiro.
Full name: Club Leon
Country: Mexico
City: Leon
Formation: August 20, 1944
Honours: Primera Division (eight times, most recently 2020), Ascenso MX (five times, most recently 2012), Copa Mexico (Five times, most recently 1972), Campeon de Campeones (Five times, most recently 1972), CONCACAF Champions Cup (2023), Leagues Cup (2021)
Stadium: Estadio Leon
Colours: Green and white
Nickname: Los Panzas Verdes (The Green Bellies), La Fiera (The Wild Beast), Los Esmeraldas (The Emeralds), Los Verdiblancos (The Green and Whites)
Rivals: Union de Curtidores, Irapuato, Pachuca C.F
Eduardo Berizzo: Having started his career in his native Argentina with Estudiantes LP, Berizzo took charge of O’Higgins and guided the club to the 2013 Apertura and 2014 Supercopa de Chile. That earned attention from European clubs and he spent three years at Celta Vigo and had short stints at Sevilla and Athletic Club.
Berizzo turned to international management in 2019 and had two-and-a-half years as Paraguay’s head coach. Ten months in charge of Chile followed before he took charge of Club Leon in September.
Four years into his second spell at the club, 37-year-old goalkeeper Alfonso Blanco has proved himself one of the side’s more consistent performers while centre-back Jaine Barreiro has made more than 170 appearances for the club and started both legs of their 2023 CONCACAF Champions League final triumph.
In attack, Venuszuel international Jhonder Cadiz has proved himself a threat and much-travelled forward Stiven Mendoza joined the club earlier this year and has struck four goals in 11 starts.
Full name: Esperance sportive de Tunis
Country: Tunisia
City: Tunis
Formation: 15 January 1919
Honours: Tunisian Professional League 1 (33 times, most recently 2024), Tunisian Cup (15 times, most recently 2016), Tunisian Super Cup (six times, most recently 2021), CAF Champions League (Four times, most recently 2019), African Cup Winners’ Cup (1998), CAF Cup (1997), CAF Super Cup (1995), Arab Club Champions Cup (three times, most recently 2017), Arab Super Cup (1996), North African Cup WInners Cup (2008), Afro-Asian Club Championship (1995)
Stadium: Stade Olympique de Rades, Hammadi Agrebi Olympic Stadium
Colours: Red, yellow and black
Nickname: Mkachkha (the Smiling One), Les Sang et Or(the Blood and Gold), Taraji Dawla (Hope is a Country), Ghoul Afrikya(the Beast of Africa)
Rivals: Club Africain
Laurentiu Reghecampf: Recently appointedby ES Tunis, Reghecampf does not lack varied experience having previously coached sides in his native Romania, Saudi Arabia, Bulgaria and Azerbaijan. He has overseen over 550 matches as a manager, including four games against Chelsea.
Then in charge of Steaua Bucurest, Reghecampf guided his side to a 1-0 win on home soil in the first leg of a Europa League Round of 16 tie in the 2012/13 season. The Blues won the second 3-1 at Stamford Bridge and would go on to lift the trophy come May.
The following campaign saw the Blues face Steaua in the Champions League group stage. We won the away tie 4-0 and the match in west London 1-0.
The leader of the Tunis defence is captain Yassine Meriah, who joined the club in August 2022. He has been capped 85 times by Tunisia and was named in the Team of the Tournament at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
After two previous spells at the club, winger and Algerian international Youcef Belaili returned for a third in the summer and has added quality to the attack.
Brazilian forward Rodrigo Rodrigues was a reliable goal threat last term and has struck twice in six matches so far this season.
