It’s a match in which the ultimate prize of being declared the best club side in the world is decided.
Yet to many observers, it remains a game which hardly registers on the footballing public.
Unless you happen to be an anorak, the Fifa World Club Cup is a competition which barely makes any inroads into the collective consciousness of fans of the beautiful game.
Such has been their dominance of the game in 2013 that Bayern Munich’s 2-0 defeat of Raja Casablanca was merely seen as just another example of the shifting of the empire of Barcelona and tika taka to the strength and efficiency of the German model.
Whilst this latest triumph was further proof of the ascendancy of the Bavarian powerhouse, many have missed the fact that Pep Guardiola had transferred his outstanding managerial abilities to the Allianz Arena, leading them to the illustrious title of the top team on the globe.
The reasons for this are straightforward.
Such is the lack of interest in the competition that the plaudits which should be attached to winning this grand prize are diminished, unless of course you happen to be a Bayern supporter.
Since its inception in 2000 the major broadcasters here in the UK have continually taken the decision to turn their backs on the tournament, with coverage of it being difficult to find in the world of newspapers too.
At a time when you can tune into matches from all levels, from the Champions League to non League games, the fact that the game billed as ‘the clash to decide just who is the daddy of world club football’ is not televised, is somewhat surprising.
Since its inception in 2000, barring the first final (a no score, all Brazilian affair), the only finals to be shown live have featured three English sides – Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea.
Unless you are a fan of those teams, then the likelihood of remembering anything about those contests is remote. This is quite an astonishing fact when you consider the magnitude of landing the trophy.
Between 1960 and 1980 the Intercontinental Cup was originally a two legged contest played out between the European Cup and Copa Libertadores holders before it was switched to a one-off match in neutral Japan.
What was most remembered about these clashes was the rough hand tactics from the South American sides who dished it out when their opponents crossed the Atlantic.
The South Americans sides have always cared more passionately about landing the trophy, primarily because it presents them with an opportunity at giving their rich European counterparts a bash in the nose for continually nabbing their best young talent.
In their wisdom (don’t scoff), FIFA took the decision in the new millennium to shake up the quest of confirming the top side on the planet, by introducing the leading forces of north and central America, Africa, Asia and Australasia into their normally private gathering.
The original tournament mainly made headlines due to Manchester United’s controversial choice of turning their back on automatic entry into the FA Cup to participate. This was seen as blasphemous to many traditionalists.
13 years on and any minor interest in the competition has dwindled, so the onus really is on FIFA to reconstruct their flagship club contest.
Aside from Raja Casablanca’s final appearance, the only other occasion in which a team from outside Europe or South America has come within touching distance of grabbing the top prize was in 2010, when Congolese outfit Mazembe went all the way before succumbing to Rafa Benitez’s Inter Milan.
An interesting postscript to Inter’s success was that Benitez was then dumped by the San Siro hierarchy, who obviously did not consider the achievement of earning the trophy worthy of keeping him.
If they wish to fire up the imaginations of the football fans, then Sepp Blatter and co. would be wise to accept defeat in their bid at creating a real level of excitement with their rather bloated competition and reintroduce a one off match between the best of Europe and South America.
Until they do then I’m afraid the match which decides ‘the best club team in the world’, will continue to be considered by many as nothing more than a glorified friendly.
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