Patience and persistence were required in the desert heat of Abu Dhabi but our quality finally told at the end of an attritional two hours as Chelsea were crowned Club World Cup champions.

Just like in Porto at the Champions League final nine months previously, Kai Havertz struck the decisive blow, this time from the penalty spot to prevent the need for spot-kicks to separate the Blues and Palmeiras.

Romelu Lukaku had headed us in front early in the second half but Thiago Silva was penalised for handball not long after, handing his countrymen the opportunity to quickly regain parity. With Thomas Tuchel’s side pushing, the pressure finally paid off with another handball penalty decision, this time in our favour, handing Havertz the chance to make history again.

Flying Kai!

The final match statistics were heavily weighted in our favour but the scoreboard had us in front for just 13 minutes of the contest, with Havertz’s penalty coming at the perfect moment and leaving Palmeiras no time to strike back.

The German stayed cool under pressure to convert a crucial spot-kick and register his sixth goal of the season, and his latest match-winning one in a final.

His double dose of trophy-winning strikes also makes him the first player to net the decisive goal in both the Champions League final and the subsequent Club World Cup final since Lionel Messi for Barcelona in 2011.

The strike was the 22-year-old’s solitary effort on target all night, alongside three off target and one blocked. Our collective shot count finished on 22, twice as many as our Brazilian opposition, although just three of those were on target.

Measured in the middle

Key to our control were the midfield duo of N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic, whose energy and efforts were relentless throughout. The Frenchman made six tackles and one interception during the 120 minutes of play, completing 89 per cent of his 105 passes.

Meanwhile Kovacic, who was replaced at the start of extra-time, chipped in with four tackles of his own and helped drive the team forward from the centre of the field.

Gold and Silva

Thiago Silva was named by FIFA as their Player of the Tournament shortly after the final whistle and the veteran defender was a typically composed presence at the back, emanating patience as we toiled in the face of a plucky rearguard display from Palmeiras.

The 37-year-old arrived in west London two summers ago with an impressive medal collection already but has since added three more club honours that had previously evaded him.

In this game, he won all six of his duels, made three clearances and blocked one shot, while even having three efforts on goal of his own. In controlling the tempo, no player had more than his 150 touches.

Rom doubles up

Lukaku enjoyed far less time on the ball but his touches tend to be more impactful and the Belgian celebrated his second goal in four days at the tournament with a planted header from Callum Hudson-Odoi’s delivery.

It took the striker into double figures for the campaign and for the 10th season running, taking him clear as our top marksman in all competitions, with three months of 2021/22 still to play.

As for the man who picked him, Tuchel flew out just in time to take his seat in the dugout and orchestrated yet another silverware-clinching performance for the Blues. In 382 days in charge, the German has now won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup, with another final in the League Cup to come at the end of the month.