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João Pedro unleashes Chelsea's storm and eliminates the last South American stronghold

Less than twenty minutes had passed when João Pedro, who knows the football playbook by heart, planted himself at the edge of the box, caressed the ball with his right foot and sent it into the top corner without asking permission. A work of art. A crisp, direct, unadorned shot that left veteran Fabio (yes, at 44 years of age) rooted to the spot and put Chelsea 1-0 up against Fluminense in the Club World Cup semi-finals. A reality check and the first warning that this story would have a European flavour in the final.

Fluminense, the last South American representative standing, had gone as far as it could... and with what it could. Opposite them was a Chelsea side superior in pace, physique and wallet. João Pedro, curiously a former Flu player himself, was responsible for putting the game beyond reach. The first was a work of art. The second, a masterclass in power and precision on the counterattack. He didn't celebrate. He didn't need to. He apologised to the tricolour stands, aware that his roots were there, among the Brazilian flags.

But football does not stop for sentimentality. João Pedro, signed at the age of 18 by Watford for £11 million, continued to climb until he landed at Stamford Bridge this summer for £63 million. More than half the total value of the Fluminense squad. That's how you spell the difference between two worlds: that of talent developed in South America and that of talent established with a cheque book in Europe.

In fact, the Brazilian wasn't even going to play in this tournament. He was on holiday when Chelsea called him to join the expedition to the United States. He landed, made his debut against Palmeiras in the quarter-finals with the score tied... and revolutionised the game. He scored, assisted and made it clear that his place is in the big spotlight. Now, he has been the executioner of two Brazilian teams on consecutive days, with the elegance and forcefulness that his country admires and Europe pays for.

At times, the match offered Fluminense a glimmer of hope. The skill of its players allowed them to hold out for stretches of the game and even come close to equalising. Cucurella had to clear a ball off the line and VAR overlooked a clear handball by Chalobah in the area. But the feeling was the same: every time Chelsea stepped on the gas, danger ensued.

Thiago Silva, now in the ranks of ‘Flu’, tried to bring order from the back, but the difference in intensity was evident. The Brazilian team gradually fell apart and the second goal ended up being the nail in the coffin. From then on, there was little to report: Chelsea managed the game with English calm and João Pedro took the spotlight, the praise... and perhaps a little nostalgia.

Because this Club World Cup, beyond the goals and statistics, has been an X-ray of how power is distributed in football. Europe buys, Europe wins. South America trains, dreams and resists. But when the key moment arrives, as happened with Fluminense, what counts is economic muscle and squad depth.

A European final, then. And with João Pedro as the emerging figure of a Chelsea side that has found Brazilian gold to fuel its present and its future. For Fluminense, there remains the dignity of having competed as far as their bodies and budget would allow. But the picture is clear: the footballing map is more unbalanced than ever.