ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates -- Roman Abramovich clapped his hands together just once when the moment came. Sat with his legs crossed in the VIP area of the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, the Chelsea owner high-fived with his assistant as a smile broke out across his face, briefly visible with his black mask lowered after taking a sip of still water.
The value of a Club World Cup triumph might be questioned more robustly in Europe than the rest of the world, but the 2-1 victory over Palmeiras in Saturday's final crowns the Blues as the best club side in the world.