The FIFA Club World Cup in the United States have received mixed reviews from football fans and pundits.
The build-up to the tournament featured plenty of criticism and apprehension, but as competition warmed up in the knockout stages, its wider appeal grew.
However, with the current reigning champions of England and Spain, Liverpool and Barcelona not featuring, there were still questions over the validity of success in the USA.
However, there was a positive shift on social media in the latter stages, which eventually saw Chelsea clinch the trophy over PSG in the final.
While Enzo Maresca’s young brigade received plenty of praise from across over the world, former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has downplayed the achievement.
“This Club World Cup also highlighted a kid who also had a great season at Chelsea, Cole Palmer. But this [Real Madrid] run to the semi-finals reminded me every time I went to the US for pre-season with Real Madrid, with Inter Milan, it reminded me of the games we played there. So, I think this World Cup title is only important for Chelsea, as they’ll sell a lot of jerseys with the logo there,” Mourinho told Canal 11.
📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
Ahead of the competition, Jurgen Klopp also critiqued the Club World Cup, over its scheduling after a lengthy 2024/25 campaign.
How much did Chelsea make from winning the Club World Cup?
Despite the negativity from Mourinho and others, the Blues brought home a whopping £84.7m [$113.7m] for winning the Club World Cup.
Amanda Perobelli-Reuters via Imagn Images
They secured £21.3m [$22.8m] as a guaranteed participation fee, and another £62.7m [$84.8m] for their performance in the competition.
The prize money from this tournament has helped facilitate major signings this summer and they are now linked with Xavi Simons at RB Leipzig.
With the Club World Cup done, Chelsea have shifted focus to the upcoming 2025/26 season, where they will battle for the Premier League crown.
They have also returned to the Champions League and would look to make a deep push in the continental stage under Maresca, who finally has a team that can compete with the best teams in Europe.
Chelsea news and related links
