Club World Cup Quarterfinalists Ranked: Who's the Weakest and Who's the Title Favorite?
The Club World Cup's group phase delivered thrilling moments of surprise, and this unpredictability continued into the elimination rounds as two tournament favorites were knocked out by unexpected challengers.
European dominance has been widespread, yet it hasn't been complete during this summer's competition in the United States. At the midpoint of the round of 16, it seemed seven of the eight quarterfinalists would come from a single continent, but Al Hilal and Fluminense's shocking victories over Manchester City and Inter, respectively, have created a more varied group of remaining contenders.
This increased diversity is certainly beneficial for the tournament, and there was a clear sense of satisfaction in Gianni Infantino's Instagram message after Monday's matches. "The NEW ERA OF CLUB FOOTBALL has definitely started," declared the FIFA president.
Only time will tell.
Here are Sports Illustrated's Club World Cup power rankings evaluating each remaining team's tournament performance to date.
8. Fluminense
The Brazilian clubs illuminated the group stage, with all four representatives advancing to the round of 16. Two continue their journey.
Fluminense demonstrated their quality on opening day, unlucky not to secure a memorable win against Borussia Dortmund.
Flu's defensive stability has been crucial to their progress, with veteran center-back Thiago Silva organizing his teammates brilliantly in front of 44-year-old keeper Fabio.
They've recorded three shutouts in the tournament, though they needed considerable luck to eliminate Inter in the last 16. Nevertheless, such a victory has the potential to energize this squad, who face non-European opposition in the quarterfinals.
7. Palmeiras
Palmeiras required additional time to defeat domestic and Copa Libertadores opponents Botafogo in the opening knockout round, with Paulinho's brilliant individual effort securing their quarterfinal spot.
The achievement of three Brazilian sides at the Club World Cup has been built on solid defensive structures, with Palmeiras netting only four goals thus far.
They possess an exciting young attacking talent in Estêváo Willian, who hasn't yet shone here, while Richard Ríos represents an intriguing midfield option and has enjoyed an outstanding tournament.
Palmeiras should compete with any remaining team in the competition, though their absence of a decisive edge will likely prove problematic.
6. Borussia Dortmund
The German side entered the tournament with significant momentum following their impressive Bundesliga finish. Niko Kovač has resolved Nuri Sahin's problems, with a tactical adjustment quickly benefiting the squad he took over.
Nevertheless, Borussia Dortmund were arguably the least impressive group winners. They nearly began with defeat to Fluminense before narrow victories came against spirited Mamelodi Sundowns and Ulsan HD.
Their opening 45 minutes in the round of 16 triumph over Monterrey was possibly their finest half of football in the U.S. this summer, with Serhou Guirassy netting twice before the Mexican side fought back.
Dortmund certainly aren't the most talented remaining team, but they've cultivated a talent for performing in knockout situations.
5. Al Hilal
"We climbed Everest with no oxygen," Simone Inzaghi declared following his team's remarkable upset of Manchester City.
While Al Hilal, who recently appointed one of the world's top coaches, certainly possess abundant resources, the enormous magnitude of Monday's surprise cannot be understated, particularly considering the form a rejuvenated City have displayed this summer.
The Saudi champions have demonstrated they're not simply a collection of European rejects, with Inzaghi's brilliance enabling them to mesh perfectly despite him being in charge for barely a month.
Their strong performance against Real Madrid to start the tournament was no accident.
4. Chelsea
Loss to Flamengo on Matchday 2 meant Chelsea completed Group D in second place despite clean sheet victories over Los Angeles FC and Espérance de Tunis.
However, they still managed to avoid Bayern Munich in the last 16, with Benfica presenting much less intimidating opposition. A "ridiculous" knockout match was significantly delayed by weather conditions, and Chelsea were pushed to extra time by Àngel Di María's late spot kick.
The Blues dominated in extra time, winning 4–1, and the celebrations following Christopher Nkunku's decisive goal showed just how seriously the Premier League club is approaching this tournament.
They haven't reached peak performance yet, but Chelsea are positioned favorably in the draw and are now Opta's tournament favorites.
3. Bayern Munich
The Bundesliga titleholders defeated one of the group stage's most impressive teams to advance to the quarterfinals, securing a 4–2 win over Flamengo in Miami.
Central to their American success has been their defensive work. Despite challenging physical conditions, Vincent Kompany's team have pressed tirelessly. Only PSG have a lower PPDA (passes per defensive action) in the tournament, but Bayern have been much more effective when trying to regain possession in advanced areas.
According to Opta, Bayern lead in high turnovers per 90 minutes at the Club World Cup (14), plus the most goals (one) and second-most shots (2.5) following high turnovers.
Their effective pressing, coupled with Harry Kane and Michael Olise's form, makes them a genuine contender for the title.
2. Real Madrid
Real Madrid's campaign began with an unpromising 1–1 stalemate against Al Hilal, though the Saudi champions have since surpassed all expectations and more since that early encounter.
Xabi Alonso's team have improved during their new manager's early tenure. Determination was necessary to overcome Pachuca before they displayed their quality against RB Salzburg.
A complete performance was required to defeat Juventus in the round of 16, with Alonso's players bombarding goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio's goal after a solid Bianconeri opening.
Balance will remain Alonso's challenge, and he'll need to manage rotations now that Kylian Mbappé has returned to the squad. But having one of the world's elite players available again can only be positive, correct?
1. Paris Saint-Germain
The European champions were frustrated by Botafogo's defensive resolve on Matchday 2, but the 1–0 loss was simply a minor setback for Paris Saint-Germain.
PSG bounced back by cruising past Seattle Sounders to claim Group B, and they could have approached double figures in the round of 16 if they hadn't shown restraint against Lionel Messi's Inter Miami. Luis Enrique had no desire to embarrass his former colleague.
Generally, PSG have played with the characteristic confidence of their Champions League campaign. The challenging physical environment means PSG haven't been quite as attacking, but absolutely nobody would argue they aren't currently the world's best team, and the strongest remaining in the competition.