Flamengo is out of the FIFA Club World Cup. And while that may sound harsh, there’s a bittersweet feeling to it: the Rubro-Negro went out with their heads held high. In a top-level match against one of the strongest teams in the world, the Brazilian side showed courage, identity, and soul, even in a 4-2 loss to Bayern Munich in Miami, in the Round of 16.
The Germans moved on and will now face PSG in the quarterfinals. Despite the number of goals Bayern scored, Flamengo actually looked better at times, but paid the price for small mistakes. That’s what makes the game so intriguing — on paper, European clubs are supposed to be far ahead of everyone else. But the Brazilian team proved that’s not necessarily true when you step onto the field with confidence and purpose.
A brutal and cruel start
Just nine minutes in, Bayern was already up 2-0. It was a shock. Pulgar headed the ball into his own net off a corner, and Harry Kane scored with a shot that deflected into the bottom right corner, giving Rossi no chance. A painful blow. “We conceded from a corner, then gave up the second goal on a mistake coming out of the back,” coach Filipe Luís explained. Yes, there were errors, but they weren’t just technical mistakes. They were the result of intense pressure from a team that suffocates you, presses hard, and never lets up.
It would’ve been easy to fall apart. Honestly, it might have been expected. But Flamengo doesn’t fold like that. Even rattled by the early goals, they found a way to regroup. They kept the ball moving, connected passes, and pushed forward. Gerson blasted a rocket inside the box to pull one back. That was a moment of redemption a breath of fresh air. The Rubro-Negro fans packed the stadium in Miami and cheered as if the Maracanã itself had been dropped into the United States. The energy was so intense, Bayern seemed thrown off, at least for a brief moment.
But elite-level soccer comes down to details. Right before halftime, Flamengo’s focus slipped, and Goretzka found himself with time and space to control a rebound and place it perfectly in the corner. Rossi couldn’t react, his vision was blocked.
New mistakes proved costly
Coming out for the second half, Flamengo didn’t fall into chaos or park the bus. They stayed true to their style. They kept the ball on the ground, moved it with patience, and tried to build from the back. That approach paid off when Michael Olise blocked a cross with his hand inside the box. The ref pointed to the spot. Jorginho stepped up and finished with class to make it 3-2. Maybe, just maybe, the miracle was on.
But when you’re facing a team as precise as Bayern, every mistake carries a price. Luiz Araújo tried to dribble out of pressure near midfield, lost the ball, and it quickly ended up at Harry Kane’s feet in the box. The English forward brought it down, set his feet, and hit a low shot with pinpoint accuracy into the bottom right corner. That made it 4-2, the final nail.
The scoreline is what shows up in the headlines. But it doesn’t always tell the full story. Yes, Flamengo lost. But they didn’t back down. “Playing this way brings us closer to our goal, which is to win, regardless of the opponent,” Filipe Luís said. And he’s right. Flamengo didn’t abandon their style. They didn’t just kick the ball long, they didn’t sit back. They played the way they always do, and showed, clearly, that clubs from outside Europe can go toe to toe with the continent’s best.