ABU DHABI // Forty-nine years ago, the champions of Europe met the champions of South America in a two-leg football final to decide which was the world's best club.
Starting on December 9, six football sides from across the globe, each the winner of their respective continental championships, will square off over an 11-day tournament in Abu Dhabi.
The capital is hosting its first Fifa Club World Cup - the modern-day, knock-out incarnation of past competitions. It will also be the venue for the tournament next year.
Next week, fans will see the latest version of a contest rich in history and legend, not all of it wholly positive.
The Club World Cup has undergone many changes in its half-century of existence. For local fans, the most significant one will be when the current UAE Pro League champions, the Dubai club Al Ahli, join the other sides next week to become the country's first representative in the competition.
A festival of football is in store, with teams aiming to be crowned the best club on the planet. But for all the talk, anything other than a final between the current Champions League title holders Barcelona, from Spain, and the Argentine Copa Libertadores winners, Estudiantes, would be a shock.
As the top sides from Europe and South America, the Latin rivals both receive byes to the semi-finals.
While Al Ahli must win three games to reach the final, Barcelona and Estudiantes require just one victory apiece. They are regarded as clear favourites and, looking at the history of the competition, it is not hard to see why.
Since 2005, when the competition was relaunched in its current global format, four successive finals have failed to see any side break the Europe versus South America duopoly of finalists.
Historically, it is fitting. After all, the competition was formerly a showdown between football's two superpower continents. In the years before Fifa decided to include the world's other confederations, it was called the Intercontinental Cup.
The match that started it all was in 1960, when Real Madrid - which had just won the first five European Cup tournaments - faced Uruguay's Penarol, the inaugural Copa Libertadores victors.
Madrid, with the legendary Ferenc Puskas and Alfredo Di Stefano in their ranks, drew 0-0 in Montevideo, before overwhelming Penarol 5-1 in front of 120,000 fans in the Spanish capital.
Penarol and their notoriously noisy fans tasted glory the following year, beating Benfica, led by the Portuguese star Eusebio.
It was at the third time of asking, however, after both teams won their home legs.
Honours remained even between Europe and South America for the majority of the 1960s and 1970s, as contrasting football styles sparked numerous bruising encounters. None was more violent than the 1968 battles between Manchester United and Estudiantes.
After a 1-0 home win for the Argentine side, in which United had Nobby Stiles sent off, the return leg saw George Best brutally targeted by Jose Hugo Medina at Old Trafford.
The pair scuffled towards the end and both were sent off. The match ended in a 1-1 draw and Estudiantes walked away triumphant.
Just over three weeks ago, when the draw for the Fifa Club World Cup was held at the Emirates Palace hotel, the footballing destinies of Estudiantes and United were aligned once again.
The South American club's vice president, Gustavo Daniel Feysulaj, was in the emirate to witness the Red Devils legend Sir Bobby Charlton, who played in the infamous 1968 ties, conduct the draw on behalf of United, the reigning champions of the competition.
Forty-one years after his team saw off United, Mr Feysulaj could not resist a less-than-subtle jibe. "It would be a great pleasure to be world c hampions again," he said. "Estudiantes has a real history, a fantastic history in this competition and Sir Bobby Charlton can explain this, he suffered a lot [in 1968]."
Throughout the trophy's history, Sir Bobby is not the only European to have lost out.
South America's finest have played their part in spoiling their trans-Atlantic rivals' claims to bragging rights.
In the 20 years that the Intercontinental Cup was played over two legs, southern hemisphere clubs trumped their northern counterparts 10 wins to eight.
In the 24 years that a one-game final was fought out in Tokyo, from 1980 to 2004 - excluding 2000 - wins were shared at 12 apiece. European clubs also trail South Americans 3-2 in the modern Club World Cup format.
Mr Feysulaj said the animosity of previous decades had eroded.
"We play in a different way, it's more dynamic and fast on the pitch," he said. "We still have the strength to win but there are different styles between each continent now."
A final word should go to Fifa. Football's governing body has overseen the successful growth of the tournament, its only club-based inter-continental contest.
Any club would consider "Champions of the World" a coveted title. But only one will become the holder of that honour on December 19.
They will be added to a long list of celebrated European and South American winners, and become part of the fabric of the contest's vibrant, sometimes violent, history.
emegson@thenational.ae
UPI facts
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The biog
Nickname: Mama Nadia to children, staff and parents
Education: Bachelors degree in English Literature with Social work from UAE University
As a child: Kept sweets on the window sill for workers, set aside money to pay for education of needy families
Holidays: Spends most of her days off at Senses often with her family who describe the centre as part of their life too
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
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The biog
Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists.
Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.
Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Seattle from Dh5,555 return, including taxes. Portland is a 260 km drive from Seattle and Emirates offers codeshare flights to Portland with its partner Alaska Airlines.
The car
Hertz (www.hertz.ae) offers compact car rental from about $300 per week, including taxes. Emirates Skywards members can earn points on their car hire through Hertz.
Parks and accommodation
For information on Crater Lake National Park, visit www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm . Because of the altitude, large parts of the park are closed in winter due to snow. While the park’s summer season is May 22-October 31, typically, the full loop of the Rim Drive is only possible from late July until the end of October. Entry costs $25 per car for a day. For accommodation, see www.travelcraterlake.com. For information on Umpqua Hot Springs, see www.fs.usda.gov and https://soakoregon.com/umpqua-hot-springs/. For Bend, see https://www.visitbend.com/.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
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AIR
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hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
- Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
11 cabbie-recommended restaurants and dishes to try in Abu Dhabi
Iqbal Restaurant behind Wendy’s on Hamdan Street for the chicken karahi (Dh14)
Pathemari in Navy Gate for prawn biryani (from Dh12 to Dh35)
Abu Al Nasar near Abu Dhabi Mall, for biryani (from Dh12 to Dh20)
Bonna Annee at Navy Gate for Ethiopian food (the Bonna Annee special costs Dh42 and comes with a mix of six house stews – key wet, minchet abesh, kekel, meser be sega, tibs fir fir and shiro).
Al Habasha in Tanker Mai for Ethiopian food (tibs, a hearty stew with meat, is a popular dish; here it costs Dh36.75 for lamb and beef versions)
Himalayan Restaurant in Mussaffa for Nepalese (the momos and chowmein noodles are best-selling items, and go for between Dh14 and Dh20)
Makalu in Mussaffa for Nepalese (get the chicken curry or chicken fry for Dh11)
Al Shaheen Cafeteria near Guardian Towers for a quick morning bite, especially the egg sandwich in paratha (Dh3.50)
Pinky Food Restaurant in Tanker Mai for tilapia
Tasty Zone for Nepalese-style noodles (Dh15)
Ibrahimi for Pakistani food (a quarter chicken tikka with roti costs Dh16)
PROFILE
Name: Enhance Fitness
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 200
Amount raised: $3m
Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors