Club World Cup won over some, but it remains a divisive topic

Player welfare remains a major talking point after the first edition of Fifa's global club tournament, which concluded in the US this month.

- By Yanga Sibembe

It came in dragging a mixed bowl of ingredients such as controversy, optimism for a new dawn, derision and apprehension. After its conclusion, Fifa's revamped Club World Cup is still a divisive subject. What worked and what didn't work during the month-long spectacle, which was won by English side Chelsea?

From a purely footballing perspective, there were a few takeaways, not least that Chelsea appear to be heading to much calmer waters since the club was plunged into turbulence in 2022. That year, the UK government sanctioned Chelsea's Russian owner, Roman Abramovich, during a crackdown on Russian oligarchs after Moscow invaded Ukraine. This forced him to sell the club.

Blues on the right path

Since then, the Blues have endured tough times, despite being taken over by a US consortium headed by American businessperson Todd Boehly. This includes finishing a lowly 12th during the 2022/23 season.

Under Enzo Maresca, who is the third permanent manager Chelsea have had since the US takeover, some stability has been established, as evidenced by the 3-0 demolition of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the Club World Cup final.

"The last few years have not been what the club deserves or what the history of this club says. This year, luckily, has gone quite well," Maresca said.

"We finished top four [in the Premier League] and qualified for the Champions League. In the Conference League, we managed to win it, and now we are in this final. We are very proud to help the club get back to where it deserves to be," he added.

PSG power

Despite losing the final, PSG played some of the most enterprising soccer at the tournament. It's a clear sign that Luis Enrique's team will once again be a force to be reckoned with next season especially as they undertake the daunting task of defending their European Champions League title.