FIFA Club World Cup - First Impressions

I just can’t express the joy I’m feeling to be here in Japan as part of Ole Ole  Media Team. It’s always been my dream to finally be recognized as the passionate yet sensible sports journalist that I try to be in every word I write. Ole Ole saw that and I cannot express how greateful I am for that. And SM and Mike are great guys! I'm certainly on a good team!

Enough of me for now. Let’s talk about football.

The Fifa Club World Cup is a new competition. It came to replace the previous formula South American team versus European team (which was the way to determine the best club in the world from the 60’s until the late 90’s)

In 2000 Fifa sponsored the tournament hosted by Brazil and won by local team Corinthians. That was the beginning of a new page in the history of world football but also a burden that Corinthians’s supporters had to carry for years. That’s because at that moment it was not all clear that Fifa’s sponsored tournament would replace the one game formula that had been around for more than 30 years. Also, every Brazilian football fan anxiously awaits the moment to say that his team is going to Japan to be the World Champion and in that case, plus the fact that Corinthians was invited to participate in the tournament as the host team for winning the National League in 1999 but still fails when International Competitions are played outside Brazil, Corinthians’s fans had to hear the mockery of all other club’s fans until Fifa officially recognized their tittle.

This year 8 teams from 7 different continents are fighting for the tittle. The formula of the competition still favors the South America Copa Libertadores Champions and the UEFA Champions by giving them a free pass straight to the semi-finals.

For the other 6 teams a place in the finals will have to come with a lot more sweat and suffering.

For most of them playing Boca Juniors or Milan in the semi-finals would already represent a tittle. A vindication that they are among the best of the world.

For some players like the young Benjamin Totori. A fast, talented 21-year old striker from The Solomon Islands who plays for the New Zealander team of Waitikere, this is his chance to show himself to the world. “For me it’s so important I wish we had won the game and that was very sad but I think I was able to play well specially in the second half and hopefully catch the eyes of somebody from a bigger team. I’m still learning, I’m only 21 and people don’t know me but I tried my best to enjoy this opportunity. I’m happy for that.” Told me the hopeful Totori.

His team couldn’t the past the Iranian team of Sepahan who won the opening match 3 x 1 and now will have the chance to get their revenge against Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds. The two teams faced each other in the AFC Champions League not even a month ago and in that opportunity Urawa won.

That might be a very interesting game and maybe the beginning of another great football rivalry.

I’m Mano Gil writing straight from Shinjuku – in the greater Tokyo area – exlclusive for Ole Ole.

Sayonara!