Ahead of the final, GOAL US writers discuss the CWC impact and whether a PSG win locks up the Ballon d'Or for Ousmane Dembele
PSG or Chelsea? That's what it's all come down to. Most will predict that the Club World Cup final can only go one way. PSG are the best team in the world and, over the past few months, beat all of the other best teams in the world. They are tactically brilliant, individually excellent, and filled with attacking weapons all over the pitch. Is this not the football we want?
On the other side, you have Chelsea. The Blues have been up and down under Enzo Maresca. At times, there is a real vision here, a clarity to how they might play the game, and hope for the future. At others, they've been pretty ordinary, and evidence that money can't buy success all the time. It seems a mismatch, then.
But stranger things have happened on a football pitch, and Cole Palmer is pretty good! Throw in the jeopardy of a final, and this could be quite a compelling fixture.
It serves as a fitting end to what has been a bit of a chaotic month. The Club World Cup was criticized early on because the field didn't really feature all the best teams in the world. The final has served up two of the best , but there are some big sides still watching from their sofa. Has that impacted the integrity of the competition?
GOAL US writers predict the final and sum up the month in the latest edition of… The Rondo.
Getty Images SportIs an all-Euro final good for the CWC?
Tom Hindle: Tough to say. In some ways, yes, in that it is an accurate reflection of the football pyramid. Europe has a big advantage over everyone else, and even if this tournament has proven that the margins are finer than we think, UEFA reigns supreme. Six of the top 10 teams in the world weren't here anyway, so having two of the best European ones makes sense. It would have been nice to see a Brazilian side make it, but to their credit, Chelsea beat the two best ones on the way here. Ball don't lie.
Ryan Tolmich: it was always going to be this way, wasn't it? The fact is that the best teams in the world are in Europe, so it would objectively be a surprise if one of the finalists was from anywhere else. That said, would it have been awesome for a Brazilian team to make it? Absolutely, and the clubs from that particular country sure earned their chance. Still, tournaments are based in reality, and reality says that teams from Europe are just simply better.
JS: It's expected, right? Nobody actually thought, when 32 teams were announced, that any non-European side were going to make the final. This is just how it's played out. Cinderella runs are fun, but they're always meant to end.
AL: From a fans-in-the-stands and TV ratings perspective, yes. PSG are fresh off their European title win and you have Chelsea, a well-known in the U.S.. Yet, for the football fans around the world, it would have been more consequential and impactful if say a Brazilian side went to the final and won. As learned throughout the tournament, the world is catching up to Europe and a non-European team winning would have really sent that message home.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWould a Chelsea win be the most significant cup final upset in recent memory?
TH: It would be the second, just behind Crystal Palace beating Man City in the FA Cup. PSG are one of the better teams we've seen in a while – even though the Barcelona-Guardiola comp is a bit overblown (were you even watching football then?) And Chelsea are, well, meh. They're the fifth-best team in England, the Parisians comfortably beat the first and second. Do the math.
RT: It would be right up there. Anything can happen in a final. Just look at Palace's win over City in the FA Cup finale a few months back. There are plenty of one-off upsets scattered through this game's history. This one, though, would be significant because PSG are very, very good , Chelsea haven't been very, very good in a few years. We'll just say it would be a massive surprise. But things can happen, from freak goals to bad calls to red cards, to change a one-off game.
JS: It shouldn't be viewed as an upset if the Blues win, to be honest. They've made incredible waves under Enzo Maresca, and boast the second-best midfield pairing in the world (only behind PSG, of course). There's a reason they're in the final, and the likes of Man City, Bayern and Real Madrid are not. This is the best Chelsea team since their 2021 UCL title, and if they beat PSG, it should be viewed as an achievement for the club – not a mark against PSG.
AL: This might be blasphemy for anyone younger than 30, but it wouldn't be the biggest cupset in the team's recent history. The 2012 Champions League final is by far the bigger upset. You had a Chelsea side led by an interim coach, most of its stars were on the wrong side of 30, at least four players were suspended or injured – including star defender John Terry. And somehow, they managed to beat an all-world Bayern Munich team in their own home stadium – a rarity for a UCL final – in one of the greatest penalty shootouts in football history. Bayern had 76 percent possesion and dozend of shots – and Chelsea had, like, eight. THAT is the biggest club upset in recent memory.
Getty ImagesWould a PSG win lock up the Ballon d'Or for Ousmane Dembele?
TH: Yeah, just about. Have long been a proponent of a Mo Salah win, and it should be him. The CWC counts towards this kind of thing, and the Ballon d'nonsense is set up to reward team performances. Dembele has it on lock.
RT: Should just about do it, yeah. In terms of both pure numbers and trophies, Dembele has generally done just about everything a player can do to really go after this trophy. Is he the best player in the world right now? Few would say yes. But has he had the best season? That's hard to argue against at this point. He deserves his reward for consistently showing up and doing the work for the world's best team.
JS: He locked it up the minute he won the UCL. People who are just now realizing the season he's had? They're not watching games, they're looking at highlights on social media and firing off hot takes. Dembele has been the best attacker in the world this year, and his Ballon d'Or campaign is in the bag.
AL: Yes, this award typically favors in-form attackers and he's been the best forward in Europe this year. There really isn't anyone who screams a worthy contender, so this year is all about Dembele.
AFP Has the Club World been a success overall?
TH: Yep. It seems a bit weird to say, especially considering this whole tournament has been a FIFA vanity project. But if you look at the fact that this is a sporting event, then it's a job well done. All of the best(ish) teams in the world played each other. There were a few good games. Some of the fans were really into it. At the very least, there's reason for it to exist in 2029.
RT: What's a success? Has it been a rip-roaring, game-changing, life-altering tournament like FIFA said it would be? Certainly not. Has it been super fun? Sure! Ultimately, it's fun to see good teams play each other, and it's even more fun to see good teams from different parts of the world play each other. Are there real problems to address with this tournament going forward? For sure, but this was definitely a good start, one that did capture the attention and give people some fun soccer to watch all summer long.
JS: For on-field performances, yeah, absolutely. We've seen some electrifying showings from teams in South America, and some valiant performances from teams in Asia and North America. However, there's still the big issue that clouds the CWC: congestion. The players are exhausted. The regular season legitimately starts in one month. Money, trophies, accolades and success aside, one year out from the World cup and these players are being run into the ground.
AL: Yes, but it wasn't a resounding one. There are bones for something special here, and one would hope FIFA will bring this tournament back with some revisions. Random teams such as Salzburg shouldn't be in this tournament – there are no real grounds for the club being there. It should be largely be Champions League winners in this tournament. It's OK if there's an extra slot or two given to host nation teams, but overall, this should be the best clubs in world football. And there need to be efforts to get the tournament on national TV – at least from a U.S. point of view. Visibility was an issue for average sports fans and while it was great that DAZN streamed all of the matches for free, how could you find it? Overall, it was an enjoyable tournament to watch and hopefully it'll be back with some improvements in four years.