Cezar Tistor article – published on Friday, June 27, 2025, 13:39 / Updated on Friday, June 27, 2025 13:39
When FIFA announced the new format of the World Club Championship, many rushed to bury it out of front. To declare him a corporate utopia, a ball of the rich, in which the rest of the world was to dance only on the edge. The “King Sport” remains, however, one of the surprises.
The ball knows no borders. At the gates of the finals, it is time to understand that football has no fixed metropolises. It is not just playing in Milan, Madrid, Paris or Manchester, but also at Rio, Sao Paulo or Riyadh. Which seemed like a mere monodies of the “old continent” gradually transformed into a planetary choir.
“Country of Coffee” still breathes football
Brazil is the pleasant surprise of the competition. Surprise? Can we call so? After all, they did not invented football but led him to the rank of art Through Garrincha's raspberry, R9's turning, Ronaldinho's crooked smile or Neymar's poetic apathy.
Fluminense, Flamengo, Palmeiras and Botafogo have qualified in the upper stages of the competition, and their intentions are as serious as possible. Dortmund, PSG or Chelsea can testify in this regard. The borders of Argentina, River Plate and Boca Juniors, failed, but the neighbors and rivals of a lifetime have shown that South America is not just a talented nursery, export goods or viral video source due to the passion in the high stands.
Columbus discovered America, but Vespucci was the one who understood that the respective lands are not the Western Indies, but another continent. Maybe we should rediscover what is happening in that part of the world. Perhaps the one who gave the name of the continent would smile ironically now and say that Brazil is not an annex, but a sovereign territory.
Not just Europe
Al-Hilal has survived the group with Real Madrid, Salzburg and Pachuca, giving evidence that Saudi Arabia is not just a ticket for early retirement or a shit for riding camels and serve exaggerated beef steaks.
Inter Miami can be promoted and otherwise than the team where Messi has spent the last years of his career, and Monterrey can mean more than a decor for soap operas.
From my point of view, the World Club Championship is a success. Football is a global phenomenon, not a provincial sport, and the joy of a void has the same magic, Whether it lives on the impeccable lawn in Munich, or on the improvised lands in the faves.
