Palmeiras enters as the underdog in their quarter-final match against Chelsea in the Club World Cup on Friday, eagerly seeking support from the local US crowd.

The tournament is being held entirely in the United States, with the Palmeiras vs. Chelsea game scheduled for July 4, Independence Day. At a Thursday press conference, Palmeiras head coach Abel Ferreira humorously invited Americans to back his team against the English.

'Yes, we are the underdog,' Ferreira said to reporters. 'This could be a great chance for locals to side with us against the English. After all, tomorrow is Independence Day, right? Against the English!'

He added: 'So, join us and come support us because we really need it.'

Palmeiras advanced through the group stages and defeated fellow Brazilian team Botafogo in the round of 16. Facing Chelsea is their toughest challenge yet, but they're boosted by the strong performances of all four Brazilian teams in this summer's event.

Brazil leads with four representatives at the Club World Cup, and impressively, Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense, and Botafogo all progressed to the knockout stages. Ferreira hopes his team maintains this momentum.

'We'll give our all tomorrow,' the Portuguese coach promised. 'I hope we're in top form, focused, and performing at our best.'

'Chelsea boasts a talented squad with young players, but we have our dream and we'll fight for it with everything we've got.'