Club World Cup final a game about much more than one trophy

On the first day Chelsea arrived in Abu Dhabi, the club staff realised that something needed to be made clear to the players.

They sensed that the mood was too close to a pre-season tour. That was somewhat natural since their Ritz Carlton base is so opulent, and allows the players to almost walk from their rooms to the training ground for twice-daily sessions in the warming sun.

Thomas Tuchel’s coaches could forgive an atmosphere of relaxation, but they couldn’t let it take hold. Petr Cech told the squad of his huge regret at not winning the Club World Cup in 2012. Jorginho told them of the hurricane they’re going to face against Palmeiras.

“It is the opportunity for them to play against a team from Europe,” the Brazilian-born midfielder said. “That’s a big thing. They are going to come for us. We need to be prepared for that.”

The players have been made all too aware of its importance, to the point some staff members noted an “encouraging” anxiety in the semi-final win over Al Hilal. The club are all too conscious of the competition’s wider significance, which goes way beyond even winning this year’s trophy.

The fact we don’t even know what form the next version will take, or where it will be held, sums that up. The Club World Cup may not inspire much interest in the UK, but it is utterly crucial to the future of the game.

There is both its literal geographic location, in Abu Dhabi, and its place in the sport itself amid a hugely fluid period as regards football’s politics and structure.

The fact this is the fifth time the emirate has hosted the Club World Cup is itself a symbolic illustration of its growing power. You only have to look at Manchester City’s dominance, and how Abu Dhabi ownership of the club has