Felipe Melo jokes Fluminense should inherit Man City’s 2023 Club World Cup
Felipe Melo has jokingly called for Manchester City’s 2023 FIFA Club World Cup to be awarded to Fluminense after the English club were found guilty of serious Premier League financial-rule breaches. The former Brazil midfielder, whose side lost 4-0 to City in the final in Saudi Arabia, said he would happily take the trophy on a celebratory tour of Rio de Janeiro.
Club World Cup and disciplinary case
| Item | Detail | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Club World Cup final | 2023, Saudi Arabia | Manchester City beat Fluminense 4-0 |
| Financial investigation period | 2009-2018 | City’s accounts were examined over alleged manipulation |
| Potential sanctions | Fines, points deduction or title forfeiture | Formal punishment has yet to be confirmed |
Speaking during Ole Summit 2026 in Buenos Aires, Melo revisited Fluminense’s heavy defeat in the global final and used the prospect of sanctions against City to make his claim. Known as “Pitbull” during his playing career, the former defensive midfielder later expanded on the joke on social media.
“Manchester City should lose everything,” Melo wrote. “Give me my Club World Cup. I’ll go around Rio, along Copacabana and through Barra da Tijuca, with the trophy. World champions. Take it all away from them.”
The commission’s ruling concerns major breaches of Premier League financial regulations. Its investigation examined City’s financial reporting across the period from 2009 to 2018, with the club now awaiting confirmation of the punishment.
Any decision to remove domestic honours won during the relevant years would raise wider questions over whether trophies collected outside England could also be affected. City’s 2023 Club World Cup success came after the period covered by the financial allegations, but Melo’s remarks reflected the uncertainty surrounding the eventual scope of the sanctions.
For Fluminense, the discussion is principally symbolic. The Brazilian club were comprehensively beaten in the final, while European teams have dominated the competition since Corinthians overcame Chelsea in 2012. Melo’s response nevertheless captured the frustration felt in South America over the financial strength wielded by Europe’s leading clubs.
