Chelsea’s opponents – starting with Palace this weekend – already had a strong incentive to beat the reigning European champions. That’s likely to be fiercer now that the Blues rule the world.

In 2012, when the Blues lost to Corinthians in the Club World Cup final (then known as the Club World Championship), it was shrugged off as a rather meaningless and annoying obligation – a distraction from domestic priorities.

However, having now won the trophy in the desert warmth of Abu Dhabi, defeating South American champions Palmeiras, it’s suddenly a chance to whoop and crow.

It caps a simply boggling year for Tom Tuchel, out of Covid isolation in the nick of time to be in the dugout for the big day, having also won the Champions League and Super Cup.

No wonder Roman Abramovich came out of the shadows to join the players on the pitch at the end of the extra-time win, clinched by a harshly awarded (though coolly taken) penalty with Kai Havertz now in the remarkable position of scoring the winners in both European and World finals.

With Jorginho an unused sub, and Romelu Lukaku having been swapped for Timo Werner, Havertz was the third-choice spot-kicker, but his task was made easier by cunning captain Cesar Azpilicueta pretending that he was the taker, and absorbing all the flak, barracking and pressure from the Brazilians, who did their best to put him off, before Havertz stepped forward.

Dave, as everyone at the Bridge calls him, has now won Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup, League Cup, Super Cup and Club World Cup with the Blues – the only player in the club’s history to achieve the feat.

With no other trophy to win, Azpi is still weighing up his options when he becomes a free agent in the summer, and may yet quit London for Spain, and a couple of seasons in his homeland before retirement. No one would begrudge him that.