Fluminense stun Inter Milan with a 2-0 Club World Cup win in Charlotte, knocking out Champions League finalists and booking a quarter-final clash

Fluminense stun Inter Milan in a shocking 2-0 upset at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup round of 16. In a pulsating clash held at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Brazilian club defied expectations to eliminate the UEFA Champions League finalists and book a quarter-final place.

Also read: Super Eagles World Cup chances boosted by South Africa eligibility row

The drama began almost instantly. Just three minutes into the match, Germán Cano met a pinpoint cross inside the box and powered a header low into the centre of the goal.

Inter Milan’s defence, caught flat-footed, could only watch as the net rippled. The early goal set the tone for what became one of the tournament’s most talked-about results.

Despite Inter’s technical superiority and 65% ball possession by the 56th minute, they found it difficult to convert their dominance into goals. Fluminense’s pressing game, led by Jhon Arias and Alexsander, kept Inter’s midfield off balance.

Arias nearly doubled the lead on the half-hour mark with a thunderous long-range strike that forced a difficult save from goalkeeper Yann Sommer.

Inter’s squad depth was tested, with star players Mehdi Taremi, Davide Frattesi, and Hakan Çalhanoğlu missing through injury. Their absence showed.

Federico Dimarco’s golden chance in the 11th minute was denied by Fluminense’s veteran shot-stopper Fabio, who continued to frustrate Inter’s forwards throughout the evening.

“We came in with belief,” said Fluminense captain Thiago Silva. “We respected Inter, but we never feared them.”

That belief showed. Even after Ignacio’s 40th-minute goal was disallowed for offside following a VAR review, Fluminense remained composed and controlled.

Their backline, anchored by Thiago Silva and Ignacio, maintained discipline, breaking up every attempt Inter made to breach the defence.

The Italians did have flashes of brilliance. Stefan de Vrij sent a powerful shot narrowly wide in the 69th minute, and Lautaro Martinez rattled the post with a curling effort in the 83rd. But it was not Inter’s night.

In stoppage time, the South Americans sealed the result. Substitute Hercules collected the ball just outside the box and unleashed a sensational strike that curled into the bottom right corner past Sommer’s desperate dive. It was a moment of individual brilliance that left the stadium buzzing.

Dimarco nearly pulled one back with a long-range shot that cannoned off the crossbar in the 96th minute, but the damage was done. Fluminense held firm, and the final whistle was greeted with wild celebrations.

Fluminense’s players and coaching staff gathered at the centre circle, waving their club’s flag and chanting in unison. For a club that lifted the Copa Libertadores in 2023 and entered the tournament unbeaten in nine matches, the win felt like destiny.

“This means so much to Fluminense,” BBC Sport reported, capturing the emotion of a night when South American flair overcame European pedigree.

Inter Milan, facing a disappointing season with no silverware from Serie A or the Champions League, must now regroup. Coach Simone Inzaghi acknowledged the team’s fatigue and injuries but conceded they were second-best.

Also read: Club World Cup: ICE, CBP deployment raises concerns ahead of Miami opener

With this historic win, Fluminense extend their impressive record against Italian sides to 10 wins and four draws in 14 encounters. Their next match is set for July 4 in Orlando, where they will face either Manchester City or Al-Hilal.