Jose Mourinho has downplayed Chelsea’s Club World Cup triumph, comparing the tournament to a pre-season tour in the United States. The Portuguese manager, now in charge of Fenerbahce, said the competition 'reminded me every time I went to the United States for pre-season with Real Madrid and Inter'.
Speaking to Canal 11, Mourinho claimed the title is 'only important for Chelsea' because they will 'sell a lot of jerseys with the logo on there'. He also praised Chelsea’s Cole Palmer but insisted Paris Saint-Germain were the best team of the season, having won the Champions League 'and the way they did, especially with the idea of losing their best player'.
In contrast, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca hailed his side’s achievement, stating: 'I think it will become as important as the Champions League and we value it as much as winning the Champions League.' Defender Levi Colwill echoed that sentiment, calling it 'the biggest trophy I've ever won' and predicting the Club World Cup will eventually be 'bigger than the Champions League'.
The tournament, which Chelsea won by beating Benfica, Palmeiras, Fluminense and PSG, divided opinion. Jurgen Klopp was scathing in his assessment, and several matches were not played in front of capacity crowds. The competition included part-time players from teams like Auckland City, and major clubs such as Barcelona and Liverpool were not invited to participate.
