After going behind to Paris Saint-Germain, Flamengo managed to get back on level terms but were ultimately beaten on penalties in the final of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2025™. Although their defeat in spot kicks stings, it does nothing to diminish their achievements in what has been one of the most successful seasons in the club’s history. Head coach Filipe Luis put it perfectly during his post-match press conference, as he spoke about emotions surrounding the final.
“Gutted that we lost; I don’t like losing, I don’t like that feeling,” said Filipe Luis. “But at the same time, I’m very proud of my players, what they did today was historic. We came so close, a penalty shoot-out… [It’s difficult to get] much closer than that against a team of that level.
“We are a very strong team mentally, and always have been, in all finals,” he added. “When the team have needed it most, these players have responded, and that was not going to be any different today. I’m very proud of what my players have done for that reason, not just today.”
Flamengo started the year with a bang in February, when they beat reigning South American champions Botafogo to win the Supercopa do Brasil.
Now, ten months on, an even encounter with the European champions just goes to show how competitive and efficient this team have become, having dominated the majority of the competitions they have been involved in this year.
The official curtain-raiser for the new season in Brazil came in a very wet Belem, in the state of Para. In the Supercopa Rei, the Rubro-Negro, winners of the 2024 Copa do Brasil, took on the Glorioso – who themselves had won last year’s Brasileirao title as well as the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores.
After a torrential downpour saw the game temporarily halted, Flamengo came out on top as they beat Botafogo 3-1, in large part down to two goals by fan-favourite Bruno Henrique.
Not long after their first triumph of the year, Flamengo went on to beat their big rivals Fluminense to secure their 39th Rio state championship title, in doing so reinforcing their dominance in Rio de Janeiro. It was Fla’s fifth title in the competition in seven years and their second in a row, with the trophy being handed to them by none other than club legend Zico.
Flamengo brought their football to the world stage at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™. Showcasing the brave and aggressive style of play instilled by Filipe Luis, Flamengo finished top of their group ahead of Esperance (Tunisia), Los Angeles FC (USA) and Chelsea (England).
Perhaps their most notable performance at the tournament was their second match of the group stage, when they rallied to beat Premier League side Chelsea 3-1. Second-half goals from Bruno Henrique, Danilo and Wallace Yan sealed a well-deserved win for the Rubro-Negro against the eventual winners of the tournament.
Having won their group, Fla’s first knock-out round provided a tough assignment against Bayern Munich. Harry Kane’s impressive display fired the German champions to a 4-2 win over the side from Rio. Despite their defeat in the last 16, Flamengo had sent out a clear message – both in Brazil and around the world – that this team could compete with anyone.
Returning to South American football, Fla continued their impressive run as they won the Copa Libertadores for the third time in seven seasons.
In a historic final against fellow Brazilian side Palmeiras, who themselves beat Flamengo in the 2021 final, veteran defender Danilo scored the only goal of the game 23 minutes into the second half, sending the crowd in Lima into a frenzy. Danilo’s winner saw Flamengo become the first Brazilian side in history to win the competition four times, and it also secured their place at the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2025 and the 2029 edition of the FIFA Club World Cup™.
Following their success on the continent, Flamengo remained relentless on home soil. Despite being knocked out of the Copa do Brasil in the last 16, Fla were battling it out for the league title all season, and a strong run of form towards the end of the campaign saw them clinch their first league title since 2020. This was only the fourth time that a team has won the Brasileirao and Copa Libertadores in the same season.
The last chapter of Flamengo’s 2025 season was a trip to Qatar for the FIFA Intercontinental Cup. Their first two games at the tournament saw them beat Concacaf champions Cruz Azul of Mexico and CAF winners Pyramids of Egypt in the Derby of the Americas and FIFA Challenger Cup, respectively.
In the final of the Intercontinental Cup, the Brazilian side took PSG all the way to penalties, with four saves from PSG’s Matvei Safonov making the difference. Filipe Luis was not the only coach impressed by Flamengo’s performance in this final, though.
“We knew Flamengo’s quality would make it difficult for us, and they played really well”, said PSG coach Luis Enrique in his press conference. “We can clearly see that [Flamengo] aren’t just a team that win, they’re a team that play good football. We had to be at our best today if we were going to win. I think Flamengo could travel to Europe and compete; [they could compete] anywhere in the world, against any team in the world.”
