Palmeiras and Botafogo set to rekindle heated rivalry on global stage

VIDEO SHOWS: PRESS CONFERENCES WITH PALMEIRAS COACH ABEL FERREIRA AND BOTAFOGO COACH RENATO PAIVA

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, UNITED STATES (JUNE 27, 2025) (FIFA/DAZN – See restrictions before use)

1. PALMEIRAS COACH, ABEL FERREIRA, ENTERING PRESS CONFERENCE

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PALMEIRAS COACH, ABEL FERREIRA, SAYING:

“It makes me really happy when I hear you all (journalists) say that South American teams are truly very competitive, that it’s really hard to play against them, that it is really hard to predict what will happen in the matches, and in five years, we really managed to win 10 titles. You’d think it’s easy. Now, nothing has changed. When all the teams came to the Club World Cup, some had a higher probability of winning than others. But there isn’t only one way to win. There are lots of ways to win, and ours is just one of them.”

4. WHITE FLASH

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PALMEIRAS COACH, ABEL FERREIRA, SAYING:

“Our first goal was to qualify for the group stage, and the second was to advance to the knockout phase, and then to advance top of the group was our next goal. We managed to achieve these goals. Now we’re in the do-or-die and our classification has pit us against one of the Brazilian clubs and we are looking forward to tomorrow’s match, and like I said the first day we got here, we’re anxious for the match to start because we are prepared and ready to compete and to fight for our dream and more than anything, to show our best and reach the next phase. That’s what we want to do.”

6. WHITE FLASH

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PALMEIRAS COACH, ABEL FERREIRA, SAYING:

“On the one hand, it’s a shame because one of the teams will be knocked out, but on the other hand it is good, because Brazilian soccer will still be represented in the Club World Cup. I will do everything I can to ensure it is Palmeiras representing Brazil here at the Club World Cup.”

8. WHITE FLASH

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PALMEIRAS COACH, ABEL FERREIRA, SAYING:

“The match will without a doubt be extremely competitive and balanced just as they have been since 2022 or 2023. Since we’ve been at this level, the matches have been extremely tight. We’ve won some, we’ve lost, we’ve had draws. We’ve had some do-or-die matches. The only difference is I still have my players and I’m still the coach of Palmeiras, but Botafogo has changed coaches over the years.”

10. WHITE FLASH

11. FERREIRA LEAVING PRESS CONFERENCE

12. WHITE FLASH

13. BOTAFOGO COACH, RENATO PAIVA, ENTERING PRESS CONFERENCE

14. (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) BOTAFOGO COACH, RENATO PAIVA, SAYING:

“Palmeiras are a team that puts on a lot of pressure, with a very aggressive central corridor. They win a lot of balls in tough transitions that can make them very dangerous, but tomorrow I want to challenge my players to control the ball more.”

15. WHITE FLASH

16. (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) BOTAFOGO COACH, RENATO PAIVA, SAYING:

“Tomorrow, you can call it ‘Walt Disney soccer,’ if you want, but we’re going to try to have Botafogo control the ball more tomorrow, or at least attack more, because as long as we are attacking, Palmeiras won’t have the ball and won’t be able to attack.”

17. WHITE FLASH

18. (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) BOTAFOGO COACH, RENATO PAIVA, ON RIVALRY WITH PALMEIRAS, SAYING:

“(I hope) everyone knows how to lose and how to win (tomorrow) and that everyone has fun and remembers that at the end of the day, it is just a soccer match and that one side is going home and the other side is going to continue to proudly represent Brazilian soccer, which is the most important thing. I hope Flamengo advance over Bayern (Munich), that Fluminense advance over Inter (Milan), that’s what I want the most because I think Brazilian soccer needs better self-esteem.”

19. WHITE FLASH

20. PAIVA LEAVING PRESS CONFERENCE

STORY: In a nation where bitter football feuds typically simmer across generations, Botafogo and Palmeiras are poised to add another chapter to Brazil's explosive new rivalry when they meet in the last 16 of the Club World Cup on Saturday (June 28).

The feud, which erupted in 2023, has seen dramatic twists both on and off the pitch.

Palmeiras, spearheaded by teenage sensation Endrick, overturned a three-goal deficit to defeat Botafogo 4-3, a result that triggered the Rio club's collapse in the Brazilian championship race.

Palmeiras subsequently clinched the league title, sparking tensions that spilled into public exchanges between club officials.

Palmeiras president Leila Pereira called Botafogo's owner John Textor "an idiot" and suggested he should be "banned from Brazilian football" after the American alleged referee bias in favour of Palmeiras.

The rivalry defies Brazil's traditional city-based football feuds, with Palmeiras hailing from Sao Paulo and Botafogo from Rio de Janeiro.

Unlike the century-old feuds of Flamengo-Fluminense or Atletico-Cruzeiro, this cross-country animosity has evolved into a pressure-cooker dynamic, with each encounter carrying heightened stakes.

Botafogo exacted revenge in the 2024 Copa Libertadores, eliminating Palmeiras in the round of 16 en route to claiming the continental title.

When the two met again in the Brazilian league at Palmeiras' home ground, Botafogo won again and eventually secured a domestic and international double.

Since that 2023 defeat, Botafogo have gone unbeaten against Palmeiras in five consecutive matches.

Saturday's encounter at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field will test the limits of a rivalry that has transcended mere competition, with local commentators describing it as "collective catharsis" for fans and players alike.

On Saturday in Philadelphia, a new chapter will be written in this captivating and intense rivalry that has gripped the South American nation.

(Production: Kurt Michael Hall)