FC Porto have been eliminated from the 2025 Club World Cup following a 4-4 draw against Egyptian champions Al Ahly in the final group stage match on Tuesday.
The result, combined with earlier setbacks against Palmeiras and Inter Miami, confirmed the Portuguese side’s exit from the competition.
Despite showing attacking intent throughout the match and scoring four goals, Porto’s defensive vulnerabilities proved costly, leaving them without a single win in the group phase.
Cameroonian striker Danny Namaso was handed his first start of the tournament in the encounter against Al Ahly. The 24-year-old featured for 45 minutes before being substituted at half-time.
Although he didn’t find the back of the net, Namaso completed 79% of his passes and earned a match rating of 6, according to post-match analytics.
His performance, while steady, was not enough to change the course of Porto’s campaign.
The Reading-born forward, who represents Cameroon internationally, had been an unused substitute in the team’s first two matches. Porto’s tournament began with a disappointing 2-1 loss to Palmeiras and was followed by a tightly contested 2-2 draw with Inter Miami.
Tuesday’s high-scoring encounter was their last opportunity to salvage qualification hopes, but the draw left them bottom of the group.
Porto’s failure to progress highlights a campaign riddled with inconsistency and defensive frailty. The team managed to score seven goals across three matches but conceded ten, ultimately undermining their attacking efforts.
Al Ahly, by contrast, capitalised on Porto’s lack of cohesion at the back to earn a point that contributed to their own qualification push.
Namaso, who signed a contract extension with Porto until June 2028, has featured prominently for the club over the course of the season. Across all competitions, he has made 42 appearances, scoring four goals and providing two assists.
Though not always a guaranteed starter, his versatility and work rate have made him a useful squad member in domestic and continental competitions.
This Club World Cup exit represents a disappointment for a Porto side that had ambitions of making a deep run in the tournament. Manager Sérgio Conceição now faces the task of refocusing his squad ahead of the resumption of league and European duties.
The club is expected to conduct an internal review of their World Cup performance, particularly in light of the defensive lapses that plagued their campaign.
For Namaso, the experience of competing at an international tournament such as the Club World Cup adds another dimension to his development.
Having made the transition from youth prospect to first-team player in recent seasons, the Cameroonian forward will be aiming to solidify his place in the squad and increase his goal tally during the second half of the season.
As Porto bid farewell to the global stage for now, attention turns back to domestic matters, with the club hoping to channel the lessons of this international setback into stronger performances at home and in European competition.
