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IOL News
4 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Cole Palmer shines as Chelsea triumphs over PSG in Club World Cup final
Chelsea's English defender #24 Reece James lifts the trophy with teammates and US President Donald Trump during the award ceremony for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Champions, following the final football match between England's Chelsea and France's Paris Saint-Germain at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on July 13, 2025. Picture: Franck Fife/AFP Image: Franck Fife/AFP Cole Palmer scored two goals and made another as Chelsea stunned Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the final of the Club World Cup on Sunday, beating the European champions 3-0 before lifting the trophy alongside US President Donald Trump. PSG were the favourites after coming to the United States fresh from winning the Champions League and having destroyed Real Madrid 4-0 in the semi-finals. But having been three goals ahead early on in the semis, this time the roles were reversed as PSG found themselves 3-0 down by the break. Palmer opened the scoring midway through the first half and struck again to make it two on the half-hour mark, before taking advantage of passive defending to set up Joao Pedro for the third on 43 minutes. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Joao Neves' Red Card and Chelsea's Victory Over PSG A bad day for PSG was summed up when Joao Neves was shown red following a VAR review four minutes from the end for pulling Marc Cucurella by the hair off the ball. 'Being Club World Cup champion is something for us to be proud of. We are very happy, especially against a team in PSG who I consider the best in the world with one of the best managers in the world,' said Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca, before hailing match-winner Palmer. 'These are the games where we expect Cole to appear because it is a big game, a big moment, and once again he showed how good he is.' Tensions and Triumph: Chelsea's Historic Club World Cup Victory and PSG's Disappointment Before Chelsea got to lift the trophy, tensions spilled over at full-time with players facing off on the pitch and Paris coach Luis Enrique raising his arm to the neck of Joao Pedro. 'There was a lot of pushing and shoving. It was a situation that obviously should have been avoided, but my intention was clearly just to try to separate the players,' said Luis Enrique. The scoreline was one few could have predicted as Chelsea capped what has been a long but memorable season — they are the first ever winners of the 32-team Club World Cup having also won the UEFA Conference League and finished fourth in the Premier League. They will also take away around $125 million in prize money, meaning the prospect of a drastically curtailed summer break before returning for next season will surely feel worth it. For PSG, meanwhile, the financial rewards are similar but there will be genuine disappointment at falling short of adding this title to their Champions League triumph and French league and cup double. Nevertheless, conquering Europe was always the main aim this season for Luis Enrique's team, who now have exactly a month to digest this and take a holiday before returning to action in the UEFA Super Cup against Tottenham Hotspur. Donald Trump in attendance There was a real sense of occasion at the MetLife Stadium, with the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline and with Trump in attendance along with First Lady Melania Trump in a crowd of 81,118. For the second time in six weeks PSG found themselves involved in a final that quickly turned into a one-sided affair. The club claimed a historic 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League final, but here they were ripped apart by Chelsea. The opening goal came in the 22nd minute as Malo Gusto got the better of Nuno Mendes down the right before seeing his shot blocked by Lucas Beraldo. The ball came back to Gusto and he teed up Palmer to finish into the bottom-left corner. Palmer has been the face of Chelsea on billboards in the United States during the tournament and he lived up to his star status by scoring again on the half-hour. Released on the right with PSG left-back Mendes out of position, Palmer advanced towards the box before stroking a low shot into the same corner. Joao Pedro played a part in the build-up to that goal and the Brazilian, signed during the tournament from Brighton, then got his name on the scoresheet to make it 3-0. Scorer of both goals against Fluminense in the semi-finals, he clipped a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma after being supplied by Palmer. PSG had conceded a single goal in their previous eight matches and they never really looked like producing a comeback, even if Neves headed just wide in first-half stoppage time. Substitute Liam Delap almost got a fourth for Chelsea midway through the second half, before Neves was shown red to complete a bad day for PSG. AFP
IOL News
6 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Caleb Clarke out for All Blacks against France as Emoni Narawa called up
Out injured Caleb Clarke has been ruled out of the All Blacks Test against France due to injury. Photo: Franck Fife/AFP Image: Franck Fife/AFP Caleb Clarke's All Blacks recall has been delayed after the team announced Friday he had suffered an ankle injury and wouldn't play the second Test against France. In a statement, the All Blacks said Clarke was injured during Thursday's training run, ruling him out of Saturday's match in Wellington. He will miss the rest of the July series. Waikato Chiefs winger Emoni Narawa was initially named in the All Blacks squad as injury cover, and will come into the starting side on the right wing. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Caleb Clarke, has unfortunately been withdrawn from the team to play France on Saturday night, after sustaining a high ankle injury during Thursday's training run. Caleb is having scans to establish the extent of the injury, however he has been ruled out of the remainder of the… — All Blacks (@AllBlacks) July 11, 2025 Rieko Ioane will move to the left, where he played in the 31-27 win in Dunedin. The late shift comes as captain Scott Barrett and wing Sevu Reece also sit out through injury. Stand-in skipper Ardie Savea, speaking at the end of a rain-soaked captain's run at Sky Stadium, said Clarke's injury was "really unfortunate". "He'd been training well all week, and (it was) just a freak accident. "(Narawa) just stepped in and he's flawlessly doing his job. When you're in the All Blacks, if someone goes down, you have to be ready to step up." It wasn't a vintage All Blacks performance a week ago in Dunedin, with Scott Robertson's team struggling to dominate against a France team with 20 debutants in the 42-man squad. 'More clinical' New Zealand did have three tries disallowed, but errors or ill discipline put paid to their efforts. "I think we've just got to be more clinical and play in the right areas of the field," Savea said of Saturday's second fixture. "Credit to the French, last week they put us under pressure and they stayed with us, so we've got to be clinical in the right areas of the field and finish." France made 10 changes to the starting side for the second Test, and expectation is high that in wet and windy conditions they could cause a major headache for the hosts. "We've learned that any team that the All Blacks play, they turn up, play their best footy," Savea said. "We saw that with the French last week. For us it doesn't matter who we play, we've just got to turn up because we know they're going to be great on the weekend." Back in France, All Blacks legend Ma'a Nonu had signed a new one-year contract with Toulon to continue playing until the age of 44. Savea followed the same pathway to the All Blacks as Nonu, starting with Rongotai College in Wellington before moving to club rugby, Wellington's provincial team, and then the Hurricanes in Super Rugby. "He's a community man and when he came around to the club rooms when I was a little kid, he gave everyone a whole buzz," Savea said. "For him to still be playing, mate, someone needs to study him. He's been massive and huge. He was our light in our community to go all the way and be a great All Black, so yeah, huge inspiration. Still my idol to this day." Would Savea follow Nonu's footsteps further, and still be playing in 2038, at age 44. "I don't know. You've got to ask my wife." AFP Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
IOL News
24-06-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Liverpool's record transfer of Florian Wirtz a game-changer for rival clubs
German midfielder Florian Wirtz has completed a record move to Liverpool in the Premier League. Image: Franck Fife/AFP Liverpool's record £116 million (about R2.8bn) Florian Wirtz transfer should be worrying to fans of rival clubs, not just because of the massive figure involved but the decisiveness with which they have moved in the transfer window. The arrival of the German international midfielder from Bayer Leverkusen was preceded by the £29m (R704m) signing of his former Leverkusen teammate Jeremie Frimpong as a potential replacement for right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold. Bournemouth's attacking left-back Milos Kerkez is also expected to arrive at Anfield shortly in a £40m deal. His pending arrival is likely to signal the end of an illustrious Reds career for Andy Robertson, with speculation rife of an Atletico Madrid move for the stalwart defender. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Rumours of another blockbuster move for Newcastle's lethal striker Alexander Isak are not going away either. He is seen as a potential replacement for flop Darwin Nunez, who is apparently the subject of interest from Napoli. However, the Magpies are in a strong position after qualifying for the Uefa Champions League, and would demand an eye-watering sum for their prized possession. But the champions seem far from done with their transfer business. The coming exit of defender Jarell Quansah has seen them linked with England and Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi. Should they land the defensive lynchpin, it would be the icing on the cake, even without any further striker additions. While Liverpool are clearly enjoying the fruits of a title-winning campaign, with Wirtz insisting that they were his only choice, they are also profiting from a clear vision for the club. This contrasts sharply with some of their rivals who will be gunning for their crown next season. Arsenal, for example, have been linked with a striker to fill an obvious void at the club for some time, yet they seem no closer to landing one despite persistent rumours. Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres are some of the high-profile names most often mentioned. If there any concerns about the price tags scaring them off, remember that this is the same Arsenal team that spent over £100m on Declan Rice. The imminent arrival of another defensive midfielder, Martin Zubimendi, also calls into question their decision-making. There is still plenty time in the transfer window to rectify their troubles in front of goal, but Mikel Arteta's obsession with signing defensive midfielders borders on the bizarre. Former big spenders Manchester City may be keeping some their powder dry while they concentrate on the Fifa Club World Cup. Arne Slot will get the chance to further imprint his style on Liverpool next season after leading the club to a 20th elite division title. Image: AFP Tijjani Reijnders built up a solid reputation at AC Milan, while Ryan Ait Nori did the same at Wolves before joining Pep Guardiola's team alongside Rayan Cherki of Lyon. Yet they are hardly names that will have rival fans trembling. City they seem to have lost the pulling power of the past few seasons. They were also said to be keen on Wirtz, one of the most exciting attacking talents in Europe right now, until he made his intentions clear. Chelsea's new arrivals include Ipswich striker Liam Delap and Palmeiras winger Estevao Willian. Yet, Blues fans may be hoping that this signals a move away from the shotgun approach of previous transfer windows to a more focused one if they are to challenge for the title.
IOL News
21-06-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Flamengo stuns Chelsea in Club World Cup; Bayern edges Boca Juniors
SUCCESS Flamengo's Brazilian forward #27 Bruno Henrique celebrates after winning the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group D football match between Brazil's CR Flamengo and England's Chelsea at the Lincoln Financial Field stadium in Philadelphia on June 20, 2025. Picture: Franck Fife/AFP Image: Franck Fife/AFP Flamengo produced a brilliant second-half fightback to beat Chelsea 3-1 at the Club World Cup on Friday and qualify for the last 16, while Bayern Munich joined them in reaching the knockout phase with a battling win over Boca Juniors. In Philadelphia, Pedro Neto gave Chelsea an early lead but Flamengo, roared on by their frenzied supporters who made up the majority of the 54,019 crowd, did not deserve to be behind and came roaring back in the second half. Bruno Henrique came off the bench in the 56th minute and quickly equalised before setting up former Real Madrid, Manchester City and Juventus defender Danilo to make it 2-1. Chelsea were stunned, and their hopes of pulling level again were effectively destroyed when substitute Nicolas Jackson was sent off in the 68th minute for a dangerous tackle on Ayrton Lucas. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Flamengo Clinches Spot in Knockout Stage with 3-1 Victory Over Chelsea Wallace Yan then sealed the victory for the Rio de Janeiro club, the Brazilian league leaders, when he made it 3-1 late on. "It was a special day for me and our club," said Flamengo coach Filipe Luis. "We knew we would have chances against Chelsea, because we have one way to play and they know how to follow that path." Flamengo have won both matches in Group D and their place in the knockout stage was confirmed later when Esperance of Tunisia defeated Los Angeles FC 1-0 in Nashville. Youcef Belaili scored the only goal of the game in the 70th minute in front of a sparse crowd featuring Nicole Kidman. LAFC, who were last-minute qualifiers after beating Club America of Mexico in a play-off, cannot now progress further. Kane, Olise on target Chelsea and Esperance each have three points from two games and their meeting in Philadelphia next Tuesday will decide who joins Flamengo in advancing. "We expected a tough game because Flamengo is a very good team, with good players and a good manager," said Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca. "They play very well, and in Brazil they are top of the league, unbeaten for many games, so it was not a surprise for us." Flamengo's win followed Botafogo's stunning success against European champions Paris Saint-Germain on Thursday, continuing an impressive record for South American clubs at the competition. But Bayern's 2-1 win over Boca in Miami was the first time either a Brazilian or Argentinian team had lost in 10 matches since the tournament started. England star Harry Kane did not find the target when Bayern hammered New Zealand's Auckland City 10-0 in their opening game, but he opened the scoring in Miami with a clinical finish on 18 minutes.
IOL News
11-06-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Is FIFA's attempt to establish a global club game doomed before it starts?
Paris Saint-Germain's French midfielder Desire Doue celebrates during a ceremony to present the trophy a day after the club won the UEFA Champions League, at the Parc des Princes Stadium on June 1. Will the US Club World Cup, kicking off this weekend ever be able to rival Footballs premier club competition? Image: Franck Fife / AFP) Stefan Szymanski The FIFA World Club Cup, which kicks off in the US on June 14, 2025, may seem like a new competition. Certainly, soccer's governing body, FIFA, is promoting it as is it were, marketing the month-long competition between 32 of the world's biggest soccer teams as the 'pinnacle of club football,' with up to $125 million in prize money for the winning team and $250 million set aside for promoting 'football solidarity.' In reality, the competition is the latest chapter in FIFA's long-running quest – going all the way back to 1960 – to create a global championship that would determine which club really is the best in the world. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ FIFA's critics argue that the competition is nothing more than an attempt to line the governing body's coffers. FIFA's line is that it will not keep 'one dollar' from the event, and instead plans to distribute revenue to the clubs. Not helping FIFA's case is the fact that clubs and players are similarly unimpressed, protesting that the event is an unnecessary addition to an already-overburdened soccer calendar. As always, the litmus test for success will come from the fans. So far, things are not going well on that front. Falling prices on Ticketmaster bode ill for the competition. Just days before the games were due to begin, FIFA slashed prices for the opening match: MLS club Inter Miami against Egypt's Al-Ahly. Reports suggest that less than a third of tickets at the 65 000-seat venue for the opener, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, had sold – despite the likely presence of soccer superstar Lionel Messi. Of course, the declining number of tourists coming to the U.S. since the second inauguration of Donald Trump – and the president's recently announced travel ban affecting 19 countries – hasn't helped encourage fans of the global game to the U.S., even if none of the competing clubs come from one of those countries. Inter Miami's Argentine forward Lionel Messi runs with the ball during the Major League Soccer match between Inter Miami and Montreal at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on May 28. Ticket sales for the opening match this weekend are slow despite Messi's star pulling power. Image: CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP FIFA vs UEFA So, given all the problems and controversies, why is FIFA so invested? As someone who has long researched the nexus of soccer, money and power, I see the World Club Cup as part of a struggle between UEFA, the European governing body that runs the Champions League – currently seen as the pinnacle of soccer club competition – and FIFA, which wants to supplant the Champions League with its own competition. UEFA's power stems from hosting the world's biggest clubs. Only one club from outside Europe appears in soccer data website Transfermarkt's list of the 50 most valuable squads – with Palmeiras from Brazil squeaking in at 50. Top players in their prime rarely quit Europe to play on another continent – the high-profile names that opt to play in the US or Saudi leagues tend to be veterans cashing in on their name. Meanwhile, the world's soccer talent flocks to European clubs. It's not just that big clubs like Real Madrid, Liverpool or Bayern Munich that can pay top dollar for the star players – less storied clubs like Brentford, Real Sociedad or VfB Stuttgart have the wherewithal to fish in the global player market. The wealth and status of these clubs form the muscle behind UEFA. And the jewel in the UEFA crown is the Champions League, an annual competition that brings together the best clubs in Europe. The game remembered for establishing the dominance of European club competition is the 1960 final between Real Madrid and Eintract Frankfurt – a 10-goal thriller that Real Madrid won 7-3. It was witnessed by a crowd of 128 000 at Hampden Park in Glasgow. Image: File A game of two halves While UEFA also has its own national competition, the Euros, its pull is nowhere near as great as FIFA's World Cup. This division – with FIFA dominating the international team competition and UEFA the club competition – dates back to the 1960s and the early years of mass television. When the 1966 World Cup was hosted by England, it was one of the very first global sports events, watched by an estimated audience of 400 million people worldwide. The 1970 World Cup, a legendary event in the eyes of boomer soccer fans, established the four-year ritual that surpasses even the Olympics as a global sporting event. At this time, UEFA's Euros were barely a competition at all. The 1968, 1972 and 1976 editions – played in Italy, Belgium and Yugoslavia, respectively – each had only four teams and only four or five games. UEFA had by then established its role in club competition. The European Cup, as the Champions League was then called, started in 1955. But the game remembered today for establishing the dominance of European club competition is the 1960 final between Real Madrid and Eintract Frankfurt – a 10-goal thriller that Los Blancos won 7-3. Witnessed by a crowd of 128 000 at Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland, the more important statistic was the estimated 70 million television audience in Europe. The 1968 final at London's Wembley Stadium, when Manchester United overcame Benfica in honor of the 'Busby Babes' – Manchester players who died in a 1958 Munich air disaster while traveling home from a European Cup game – saw a TV audience of 270 million. Real Madrid claimed the 2024 FIFA Intercontinental Cup, a forerunner to the Club World Cup, with a dominant 3-0 victory over Pachuca at Lusail Stadium. Since 2006, all the winners bar one – Brazil's Corinthians in 2012 – have been European clubs. Image: AFP A history of failure The ambition to create a club world cup to rival the European Cup goes back to the 1950s. Soccer powerhouses Brazil and Argentina in particular promoted the idea that the top clubs in Europe should face off against the top South American teams. The resulting Intercontinental Cup ran from 1960 to 2004, with the top teams from UEFA and CONMEBOL, the South American soccer federation, taking part. But played in midseason, it barely made an impression on the fans. In 2000, FIFA created the Club World Championship, with eight teams drawn from the five international federations. It also attracted little love, and the 2001-to-2004 editions had to be canceled for lack of financial backing. In the early years, it seemed like an excuse to emulate the Intercontinental Cup, and the first three winners were South American. However, since 2006, all the winners bar one – Brazil's Corinthians in 2012 – have been European. FIFA president Gianni Infantino (R) looks on as Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani (C) and US President Donald Trump (L) participate in a signing ceremony after a state dinner at the Lusail Palace in Doha on May 14. Image: Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP Europe is 'on the beach' Then, in 2017, Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, announced plans to expand the competition and move it to the summer. With 32 teams, the competition will look more like the World Cup and will receive a lot of TV coverage. The fact that it will be free to watch will help. So too will the presence of Messi. Yet the overwhelming feeling going into the competition is that, like its predecessors, the revamped FIFA club competition is destined for failure. With the European domestic leagues all completed and the Champions League final – the unofficial marker of the end of the soccer season – having taken place on May 31, players and fans appear to be 'on the beach,' to use a favorite phrase of soccer commentators. Ultimately, FIFA's revamped World Club Cup faces the same issues that beset its forerunners: European teams are overwhelmingly tipped to win. Rather than the global soccer 'solidarity' that FIFA hopes, the competition sets to reinforce the dominance of European clubs – and of Europe's governing body when it comes to club competition. Stefan Szymanski is Professor of Sport Management, University of Michigan
