2008

FIFA Club World Cup 2008

2008 FIFA Club World Cup Final

Manchester United v Quito

(Tournament also included Gamba Osaka, Al Ahly, Pachuca, Waitakere United, Adelaide United)

The 2008 FIFA Club World Cup tournament was again held in Japan from 11 to 21 December 2008 and featured Manchester United (England), LDU Quito (Ecuador), Pachuca (Mexico), Gamba Osaka (Japan), Al Ahly (Egypt), Adelaide United (Australia) and Waitakere United (New Zealand). Manchester United, despite having Nemanja Vidic sent off in the 49th minute, defeated LDU Quito 1-0 in the Final in the International Stadium in Yokohama in front of over 68,000 supporters with a goal from Wayne Rooney in the 73rd minute.

Two programmes were produced for this Tournament; a 130 page tournament programme and a 130 page Final programme.

The Tournament programme is in Japanese and English and begins with introductions from FIFA, the Japanese FA and TOYOTA. The programme continues with the match schedules and venues and gives details of the tournament referees. The programme next has special features on FIFA President Joseph Blatter, Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United, Martin Palermo of Boca Juniors and Japanese pop stars "The Gospellers & Shintaro Tokita", singers of the official song. The programme then gives full details and photos of all of the competing teams and their countries, along with further information on their coaches and star players. The programme includes details of how each club won their respective continental competitions to qualify for the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup tournament, gives details and photos from previous FIFA Club World Tournaments and finishes with an introduction to the UAE which will host the next two Tournaments.

The Final programme is also in Japanese and English and begins with introductions from FIFA, the Japanese FA and TOYOTA. The programme continues with the schedule for the Final before going on to give a report including photos from each match played in the 2008 Tournament. The programme then gives full details and photos of all of each of the competing teams and their countries in the 2008 Tournament , along with further information on their coaches and star players. The programme includes details of how each club won their respective continental competitions to qualify for the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup tournament, gives details and photos from previous FIFA Club World Tournaments and finishes with an introduction to the UAE which will host the next two Tournaments.

A really nice item of memorabilia that I have for this tournament is the official FIFA pennant only presented to VVIPs by the then FIFA President Sepp Blatter, such as to Japan Prime Minister Taro Aso in the photo below.