For the next few hours, at least, Flamengo are living the dream.
The Brazilian giants are preparing for the final of the FIFA Club World Cup -- against opponents that, given the choice, they would have handpicked.
On Tuesday night, following their 3-1 semi-final win over Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia, I was on a Brazilian TV show that asked the following question to Flamengo fans; would you prefer Monterrey or Liverpool in the final? In theory, Monterrey would be easier, boosting Flamengo's chances of rounding off a magical year with the world title. But the answer was overwhelming.