How Brazils teams and their exuberant fans are defining Club World Cup

The South American clubs taking part in the FIFA Club World Cup have been one of the tournament’s biggest stories on and off the pitch. On it, Brazilians clubs have shocked some of European soccer’s best — Botafogo toppled French powerhouse PSG before Flamengo took down England’s Chelsea — and off of it, supporters of teams such as Palmeiras and Fluminense have fueled an exciting atmosphere for the reconfigured tournament. It has put a spotlight on the passion South Americans have for their clubs and how the support has helped propel their teams during the Club World Cup. At MetLife Stadium, Palmeiras fans packed the sections behind the net, chanting throughout the match while waving banners and flags.And the party continued during a weather delay during one match with fans packing the concourse, banging drums and continuing to chant. Similar scenes played out in stadiums across the United States during the group stage of the Club World Cup.

Away from the field, fans turned local landmarks into soccer hubs — it went viral when Palmeiras fans taking over Times Square the night before the tournament. All four of the Brazilian clubs — including Palmeiras and Fluminense, which each played a pair of games at MetLife Stadium during the group stage — advanced to the knockout round beginning Saturday.The turn of events has shocked some, but Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola hardly seemed surprised about the atmosphere the fans have created or about the results on the pitch. “I love when I see Botafogo, all the Brazilian teams, Argentinian teams, how they celebrate, how they are together, I love them,” Guardiola told reporters recently.“I like how all the games are tight, except one or two, and people are surprised, European teams lose.… Welcome to the real world, my friends.”The strong support has been bolstered by fans willing to travel to the United States to follow their favorite clubs, along with a strong base of support already in No...