Serious matters for competing clubs
From the start of the tournament it was clear that the clubs involved took the competition seriously. Despite European cynicism in the structure and during, thanks to Jurgen Klopp-Bleek it is more than an end of the season.
The major European teams generally introduced their strongest possible line-ups and there was a hurry to recruit new signing sessions on time for the tournament, whereby FIFA points out that 59 new players were registered by participating clubs in the early June-transfant star, for a total cost of $ 480 million (£ 356 million).
Winners Chelsea hit the jackpot
It of course helped that the financial rewards offered were so lucrative. Chelsea will have earned an eye-watery £ 111 million by winning the competition, according to Sky Sports News, with second place in Paris Saint-Germain Banking £ 82 million.
In total, the FIFAs Prize Pot was shared between 32 competing clubs £ 774 million ($ 1 billion). Each club received a participation costs of a maximum of £ 28 million, depending on their confederation, so that even those who were eliminated in the group phase ended better. Manchester City made £ 38 million even though it was eliminated in the round of 16.
Eventually money talks. In an era of Financial Fair Play and PSR, the financial rewards that are offered about the well -being of players and fatigue won. Four years from now on you can be sure that club owners and managers from the entire football world will be enthusiastic about a piece of the cake when the competition returns.
Low crowds offer a conversation point
Low those present became a source of shame for FIFA in the early stages of the tournament, especially when Chelsea played their opening match against Lafc for only 22,137 fans in the 71,000-capacity Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Many more games were played in thin -visited stages, with four games that do not even sign a hustle and bustle of 10,000. However, others were more popular, with 16 races, including the sold -out final of Sunday, who attract at least 60,000 fans.
FIFA pointed out kicking off times, ticket prices and again (more about it later) as factors in the low attendees, but the figures were picked up as the tournament progressed, with more than two and a half million tickets that were sold in total and an average presence of 39.705, the rises were partly able to lend that Fans could be laid out.
Although far from spectacular for a 63 game tournament, the total figures were sufficient for FIFA to trumpet the attraction of the competition in its extensive size. There seems to be little doubt that it is here to stay.
The weather slows down a reason for concern
Sizzling heat was a problem during the tournament. While the temperature rose, Chelsea -Baas Enzo Maresca said that it was “impossible” to have a normal training session, while the midfielder Enzo Fernandez said it was “very dangerous” to play in the circumstances.
Fernandez also argued, with some justification, that the spectacle was hit. “The speed of the game is not the same, everything is getting very slow,” he added.
The extreme weather caused farcical scenes because a series of competitions had to be delayed and suspended, including the Tour of Chelsea of 16 win over Benfica, with a two -hour break, when players and fans were told to look for shelter in the area.
The weather issues were of course mainly concerned, since the US is organizing next year's World Cup, together with Mexico and Canada. FIFA president Gianni Infantino tried to trivialize those worries by saying that games designed with kick-offs will take place in covered stadiums during the day.
Brazilian clubs seize the opportunity to impress
Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain made sure that the final was a European affair, but some representatives of the rest of the world also made a stamp. Saudi -Outfit Al Hilal held Real Madrid and defeated Manchester City. Together the Brazilian clubs were the most impressive.
All four from Flamengo, Botafogo, Palmeiras and Fluminense made the knockout phases, with the last two respectively reaching the quarterfinals and Semis. Three of the four enjoyed memorable victories over prestigious European opponents along the way.
Botafogo was one of only two teams, together with Chelsea, to beat Paris Saint-Germain with their 1-0 group phase victory, while Flamengo won a 3-1 victory over the final champions and Fluminense Saw Inter 2-0 in the round of 16.
Their versions, welcomed by large and colorful quotations of traveling fans, emphasized the quality of their competition and provided a source of pride to a Brazilian audience whose domestic stars rarely have the opportunity to shine on a global stage.
Trump, a half-time show and player 'Walk-Al'
It is fair to say that the 'Americanization' of certain aspects of the tournament with mixed assessments has been received. The final had the appearance and feeling of the superbowl, with long pre-match and half-time shows. There was even a flight paste for Jet-Jet.
US President Donald Trump was eager to place himself in the front and to place in the final of Sunday in the middle and looked with Infantino at the Metlife Stadium and later the celebrations of Chelsea, to the astonishment of match winner Cole Palmer.
During the tournament there were also WWE-style 'Walk-Al', where all 22 starters were individually announced in each game about the speaker instead of coming out of the tunnel together in the traditional way.
Chelsea -midfielder Romeo Lavia was a fan and said: “It's a bit of a showbiz, right?” And adding that he would like to see it in the Premier League. But others felt different, where the long process frustrated many fans at home and postponing kick-offs.
Will fatigue come back to bite Man City, Chelsea and others?
Their finances look healthy after the tournament. Chelsea fans will enjoy the title of world champions for four years. But will the performances of competing clubs suffer next season as a result of the workload of the Extra Club World Cup?
“I don't try to think about it, otherwise I will be so anxious,” said Pep Guardiola last month. The Tour of Manchester City of 16 Exit against Al-Hilal was their 61st game of the season in all competitions.
“Maybe in November, December, January, ask me,” Guardiola added. “I can say” so listen, we are a disaster. We are exhausted. The World Cup has destroyed us. “
It is also a concern for Chelsea, since they played even more games than Manchester City at the age of 64.
With the Premier League kick on just a month away, they will desperately hope that the English boss Thomas Tuchel, who predicted that the Liverpool and Arsenal tournament will give a “huge” advantage in the next term, not well proven, but the real branches may become clear later in the campaign.