Benfica’s 4-Point Fiasco in the Club World Cup: Did Portugal’s Pride Just Crumble?

The Numbers Don’t Lie

I ran the Sportradar API data last weekend — not for fun, but because I knew something felt off. Benfica went 0-2-2 in the Club World Cup, collecting exactly four points across four games. That’s not just underperformance; that’s structural collapse. They drew with Al Ahly (a good team), lost to River Plate (who were playing with fire), and then got absolutely outclassed by Real Madrid in a game where their xG was .8 — meaning they barely deserved to be on the field.

This wasn’t bad luck. It was bad preparation.

Porto vs. Messi: A Modern Tragedy

Porto lost to Inter Miami? Sure. But let’s be real: Lionel Messi scoring against them was less about skill and more about timing. The match had drama — yes — but also an uncomfortable truth: even when facing legends like Messi, you still need tactical discipline.

Benfica didn’t even get that far. No dramatic finishes. No late goals from wingers like Chukwueze or Pizzi (RIP). Just three draws and one defeat in Group A — all respectable enough on paper… until you look at who they played.

Why This Matters Beyond Points

Let me say this plainly: if you’re going to claim your club is ‘elite,’ you don’t get eliminated at the quarterfinal stage by teams that aren’t even top-5 in their own leagues.

Yes, Real Madrid won it all again. Yes, River Plate showed grit under pressure. But Benfica? They gave us nothing new — no surprise tactics, no attacking spark beyond occasional flashes from Joao Felix.

And here’s where my data model gets emotional: their expected goals (xG) over these four games averaged just 1.3 per match versus opponents’ 1.9 — that gap? It speaks volumes.

The Human Angle: Roots vs Reality

I grew up on Chicago’s South Side watching working-class kids play pickup basketball under dim streetlights — dreams built on hustle, not hype.

That same energy should’ve powered Benfica through these matches: gritty defense first, clever transitions second, then flair.

tBut instead? We saw hesitation when pressing high after conceding early goals. We saw players waiting for others to make decisions rather than creating space themselves.

It reminded me of my younger self trying to dribble past a taller opponent without knowing how to fake or feint — heart matters… but so does technique.

What Comes Next?

The Portuguese league can’t afford another season like this without serious soul-searching.

depending on transfer window moves and squad depth analysis using my Jupyter notebooks (available via GitHub), we might see changes soon — especially if Benfica want to stay relevant globally.

tWe need accountability not just from coaches or players… but from ownership too.