Who shone and who surprised in Fluminense during the group stage of the World Cup?

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COLUMBIA (USA) — So far, Renato Gaúcho has used 21 out of the 32 players registered. Fluminense no FIFA Club World Cup The first three games of the competition were distinct and the team fluctuated, needing to recalculate their route at times, as seen in the loss to Ulsan.

Even with the difficulties, Fluminense secured the qualification in second place of Group F and advanced to the round of sixteen. UD News analyzed the team's highlights and listened to the tricolor fans to find out who surprised in the competition.

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Highlights of Fluminense in the World Cup

The best player on the team so far is John Arias . The Colombian maintained consistency, did not feel the pressure of responsibility, and created the main plays for Fluminense. According to data from Sofascore, he was the player with the most actions with the ball and the most decisive passes among Brazilian teams.

Elected the man of the match in the first two rounds, contributing with a stunning free kick goal and an assist in the victory over Ulsan. In the three games, with Ganso being underutilized, Arias took on the creative role and was the conductor and engine of the team in the qualification for the round of 16.

Other players who deserve mention in this regard are Keno e Fábio . The goalkeeper, in the prime of his 44 years, continues at a high level, being decisive in the victory and draws, but was rarely tested in this FIFA Club World Cup. On the other hand, the forward had not played for more than a month due to load management and returned to the field in the United States. In the tightly contested match against the South Koreans, Keno came off the bench and changed the game, scoring a goal and providing an assist.

Who surprised at the World Cup

Hércules: the most voted by UD News readers

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Hercules was signed this season from Fortaleza and did not come in with the status of a starter under the command of Mano Menezes. Competing for the position with Otávio and Facundo Bernal, he had to earn his place and ended up getting more opportunities due to injuries to two teammates - Otávio ruptured his Achilles tendon and has been out of action since late March, with no return date scheduled, while Bernal suffered a grade three muscle injury that kept him off the field for about a month, returning to play only in the United States, where he replaced Cano in the game against Ulsan. In North America, he completed 30 games wearing the tricolor armor and is one of the athletes who has played the most for Flu this season.

His profile is combative, offering intensity and coverage in midfield, but he is a defensive midfielder who is getting used to venturing into the penalty area to finish. He was part of the initial team in all group stage games and has good defensive numbers: he is the sixth midfielder with the most interceptions (when the player regains possession of the ball) in the competition, averaging two per game. In total, he has 5, tied with Takuro Kaneko from Urawa Reds. Leading the list is Richard Rios from Palmeiras with 9, followed by Vitinha (PSG), Seung-beom Ko (Ulsan HD), and Sergio Busquets (Inter Miami).

Nonato

In second place in the voting, another midfielder. Nonato was a starter in two out of three games, but played in all of them. In the second round, due to a change in strategy, he made way for Ganso in the starting lineup. The number 16 usually shares the role with Martinelli, acting as defensive midfielders and playing an important part in the offensive transition.

Nonato is on his second stint at Fluminense and once again shows his importance to the squad. The first time he defended the Rio-based club was in 2021/2022 when he was loaned from Internacional to Fluminense. In 2022, the Colorado sold the midfielder to Ludogorets, and his departure had a strong impact on the team, compounded by André's absence due to suspension, contributing to the team's elimination from the Copa do Brasil by Corinthians. In 2024, he returned to Laranjeiras, this time on loan from Santos. His initial contract was set to end in July 2025, but Fluminense extended it until December.

Freytes

Freytes came from Peruvian football and went through a period of mistrust at the beginning of the season. Due to some mistakes, he became the target of the fans and even heard boos at the Maracanã. However, the confidence instilled by Renato in his players, added to the influence of Thiago Silva on his teammate, seems to have had a positive impact on the Argentine defender. In the World Cup, he stood out for his great performance against Borussia Dortmund in the debut match and for scoring the equalizing goal against Ulsan.

➡️ 'Keep your cool': Freytes overcomes criticism and becomes a key player for Fluminense in the World Cup

His numbers, as per data from SofaScore, highlight one of his main characteristics: long balls. In this aspect, the Argentine defender has the fourth best success rate among defenders, with 16 accurate long passes. Ahead of him are Lucas Martinez (River Plate) and Marquinhos (PSG), with 17 each, and Sergio Ramos (Monterrey), with 19.

Check the numbers of the Fluminense players in the World Cup

Freytes:

• 3 games (3 starter)
• 1 goal
• 1.3 disarmers by game
• 0.3 interceptions per game
• 4 cuts per game
• 1 suffered dribble
• 69% efficiency in duels
• 5.3 passes long shots correctly per game
• 0 absences committed
• 0 cards
• ‼️4th defender with the most accurate long balls in the competition

Nonato :

• 3 games (2 as a substitute)
• 1 gol
• 1.3 decisive passes per game
• 1.3 disarmers by game
• 1.3 interceptions per game
• 3.3 balls recovered per game
• 29% efficiency in duels
• 2 absences per game
• 1 yellow card

Hércules

• 3 games (3 starter)
• 2 disarms per game
• 1.7 interceptions per game
• 4.3 balls recovered per game
• 47% efficiency in duels
• 0.3 absences per game
• 0 yellow cards
• ‼️6th match with the most interceptions in the competition