Corinthians beat Chelsea in Japan 13 years ago, relive the glory

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Central do Timão

·16 de diciembre de 2025

Corinthians beat Chelsea in Japan 13 years ago, relive the glory

By Henrique Pereira / Central do Timão Editorial Team

December 16 is more than a remarkable date in Corinthians’ history. It was on this day, exactly 13 years ago, that the club lifted its second Club World Cup trophy, after defeating Chelsea from England, 1-0. The Corinthians’ goal was scored by the Peruvian Paolo Guerrero, making over 30,000 black-and-white fans present at the International Stadium of Yokohama scream with excitement in the second half.

For the final in Japan, coach Tite fielded Corinthians at full strength: Cássio; Alessandro (captain), Chicão, Paulo André, and Fábio Santos; Ralf and Paulinho; Jorge Henrique, Danilo, and Emerson Sheik; Paolo Guerrero. It was the core of the team that won the Libertadores six months earlier, with only two changes: Paulo André in Castán’s place and Guerrero instead of Alex.

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Photo: Daniel Augusto Jr/Agência Corinthians

First half

The match started tense and Cássio had to get to work just ten minutes in. Chelsea took a corner, the ball ricocheted off Chicão and fell to Gary Cahill, who struck first-time from the edge of the six-yard box. The shot demanded an excellent save from the Corinthians goalkeeper, who dove to prevent the English goal right on the line. “Goalkeeper Cássio performed a miracle, because the defense slipped up!” narrated Galvão Bueno.

Shortly after, Corinthians threatened with shots from outside the box by Jorge Henrique, forcing goalkeeper Petr Čech to hold firm, and Paulinho, who sent it over the English goal. Tite’s men started to trouble the Blues, and tried another long-range shot with Emerson Sheik, who missed the target in the 29th minute.

Five minutes later, Corinthians scared the blue defense again after a good individual play by Guerrero, who controlled the ball on his chest, beat his marker, and shot across goal. The Peruvian missed the target, but ended up assisting Sheik, who, from a tight angle, hit the foot of Čech’s post. It was, up to that point, the best chance for the black-and-whites in the game.

At 37 minutes, Cássio was called into action again, this time from a shot by striker Fernando Torres. “Goalkeeper Cássio is a giant!” said Galvão Bueno. Less than two minutes later, the 1.96m Giant stretched out to tip Moses’ curling shot with his fingertips and save Corinthians once again. “Giant Cássio in goal!” reported the TV Globo commentator.

Still before the end of the first half, Cássio dived to save a powerful shot from outside the box. “The boooomb and Cássio again!” said Galvão.

Second half

The first chance of the second half was Chelsea’s, who started by pressing Corinthians, just as they finished the first half. But on the other side, Cássio remained a wall in front of Timão’s goal. At eight minutes, Hazard received a through ball behind the black-and-white defense and was stopped by the Giant. “Once again, a great intervention by the Corinthians goalkeeper!” narrated Galvão Bueno.

After that play, Corinthians started to grow in the game and threatened goalkeeper Petr Čech in the 18th minute. Guerrero controlled a long ball on his chest and passed to Paulinho, who controlled and shot. The shot grazed Chelsea’s left post.

Shortly after, at 24 minutes, came the moment that made more than 30 million fans around the world explode with emotion. Chicão started the play with a low pass to Paulinho, who exchanged passes with Emerson Sheik and invaded Chelsea’s box. The midfielder found Danilo, who cut past his marker and shot. The ball deflected off the blue defense, but stayed alive for Guerrero to head it into the back of the net.

Guerrero celebrates the goal against Chelsea. Photo: Daniel Augusto Jr

“Look at the chance, look at the chance, look at the chance now! Danilo cleared, right foot, shot, the header, look at the goal, look at the goal, look at the goal… It’s Corinthians’!” shouted Galvão. It was the goal that put Timão ahead and confirmed their second world title.

After the black-and-white goal, Chelsea, nervous, started to lose their heads, and defender David Luiz was shown a yellow card in the 27th minute for a hard foul on Emerson Sheik in midfield. Comfortable on the field and with the lead, Corinthians just managed the result.

The English side only threatened at the 40th minute. After a throw-in, the ball bounced off Alessandro and fell to Fernando Torres, who shot one-on-one with Cássio, who saved Corinthians again, this time with his feet. “Cáááásssio is his name!!!” shouted Galvão, stunned by the excellent performance of the black-and-white keeper.

Near the end, at 44 minutes, Gary Cahill made a hard tackle on Emerson Sheik and was sent off by Turkish referee Cüneyt Çakır. In stoppage time, Fernando Torres even scored, but was offside and the goal was rightly disallowed. Soon after, the match ended and Corinthians’ second world title was confirmed. Celebration for the Bando de Loucos around the world!

Players celebrating the title. Photo: Daniel Augusto Jr/Agência Corinthians

Awards

For his many interventions throughout the match, goalkeeper Cássio was chosen as the best player of the final and of the entire World Cup, winning the tournament’s “golden ball.” The scorer of the black-and-white goals in the semifinal, against Al Ahly from Egypt, and in the final, the Peruvian Paolo Guerrero, was awarded the tournament’s “bronze ball.” Chelsea defender David Luiz was chosen as the “silver ball.”

After the title

This was the second and, so far, last Club World Cup title won by Corinthians. The first was in 2000, at Maracanã, when Timão participated as the champion of the host country – although they also won the 1999 Brasileirão trophy, the club qualified for the competition in Rio de Janeiro as holders of the 1998 national cup.

Since Corinthians’ triumph, no other non-European club has managed to win the World Cup. All champions from 2013 onwards have been from Europe: Bayern Munich (2013 and 2020), Real Madrid (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2022), Liverpool (2019), Chelsea (2021), Barcelona (2015), and Manchester City (2023). Brazilian teams like Botafogo, Fluminense, Palmeiras (twice), Flamengo, Atlético-MG, and Grêmio have tried, but were defeated in the final or even in the semifinal.

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