Palmeiras have come to embody their coach’s mantra of “cool heads and warm hearts,” injecting their performances with passion and precision when it matters most.
Nothing illustrated that mindset better than their 1-0 extra-time victory over Botafogo in Philadelphia to book their spot in the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™.
It’s that same philosophy that has brought the Verdao ten titles since Abel Ferreira took charge and now sees them among the top eight clubs on the planet.
“It was the kind of match where you needed just that, a warm heart and a cool head,” Ferreira told FIFA, recalling the motto he used after a previous Palmeiras triumph.
“Given the rivalry between these two teams, it was always going to be an intense game, and I made that point in the dressing room. In knockout matches like this, players can feel the pressure and sometimes let the occasion get to them.”
The 120 minutes at Lincoln Financial Field showed that his message clearly got through to an inspired Palmeiras side.
Buy tickets to watch the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 live
Ferreira’s team came into the match without a win from the last five meetings against Botafogo, following a run of three defeats and two draws. That stretch included a painful exit in the round of 16 at the 2024 CONMEBOL Libertadores, but the struggles ended in Philly.
The Sao Paulo side were the better team over the first 90 minutes, putting their opponents under pressure and dominating space to disrupt Botafogo’s build-up. The talent of youngsters Estevao and Allan shone through in one-on-one battles as they managed to unbalance the Botafogo defence.
After the break, goalkeeper John was kept busy, so much so that he was named Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match due to a string of outstanding saves. In total, Palmeiras registered seven shots on target to Botafogo’s one.
“I told the players: ‘I’m not looking for anything fancy, just get the basics right,'” Ferreira said after the match. “And I think we kept it simple and got the job done. I feel like we could’ve avoided extra time if their goalkeeper hadn’t played a blinder.”
Watch live matches for free on DAZN
The Palmeiras coach also revealed that goalscorer Paulinho, the most expensive signing in the club’s history, will need another operation on his right leg, having undergone surgery for a stress fracture last year. Speaking in the post-match press conference, Ferreira explained that managing the injury meant bringing in the striker only for the second half, following guidelines set by the club’s medical team.
It’s one of several carefully planned decisions Ferreira has made to keep Palmeiras moving forward at the Club World Cup.
As for Paulinho himself, he needs to come to terms with his current limitations, knowing he has the talent to change games but also that he’s not yet ready to play a full 90 minutes. Against Botafogo, his introduction in the 63rd minute would prove decisive.
“For me, the mental side of things is the biggest challenge,” Paulinho told FIFA. “And it can be tough to stay sharp physically, so that when I’m needed, I’m ready. I might only get 20 or 30 minutes, whatever the coach decides.
“It’s a moment of pure joy and relief. I’ve been going through a difficult time with my injury. I still feel the pain and I know I’m not 100 per ent, but it’s another step in the Club World Cup for Palmeiras.”
It’s fascinating to listen to Paulinho as he describes the move that sealed Palmeiras’ extra-time victory.
“The moment [Richard] Rios played me the ball, I saw that their full-back had to decide whether to come at me or sit back. And in that moment, I told Mayke to make a run down the side to draw their defender, but they didn’t fall for that,” the forward explained. “Instead, they doubled up on me, so I had to improvise.
“I saw there was space to cut inside, with no one covering, so I faked the cross, cut inside to clear the defender, and put myself in a position to finish.”
Following the stunning goal, Ferreira opted to take Paulinho off in the 103rd minute.
“He did exactly what was asked of him,” the coach said. “We knew when signing him the condition he was in. He did all the necessary tests [and] we spoke with him and made it clear how important he would be to the team. I said to him, ‘This is what you came here for,’ to come on and make the difference.”
And with that moment of brilliance, Paulinho warmed the hearts of both his coach and the thousands of Palmeiras fans in Philadelphia.
“Our fans are incredible,” Ferreira added. “They knew it was going to be hard, but with that level of support behind us, we’re going to be tough to beat. This team will fight to win until the very last minute.
“We will fight from the moment the whistle blows to the very last second, whether there’s extra time or not,” he added. “If it had gone to penalties, we would have just seen it as one more chance to win.”
