Manchester City (143) and Fluminense (121) have a combined age of 264 years – the oldest cumulative age of two FIFA Club World Cup™ finalists. They are followed by Liverpool and Flamengo (251 in 2019), Barcelona and River Plate (230 in 2015), Real Madrid and Gremio (229 in 2017) and Chelsea and Palmeiras (223 in 2021).

Kai Havertz scored the latest goal in a final to snatch Chelsea victory over Palmeiras from the spot after 117 minutes last year. The previous latest had been Lionel Messi’s 110th-minute winner for Barcelona against Estudiantes in 2009. Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo (in the 98th and 104th minutes in 2016) and Roberto Firmino of Liverpool (99th in 2019) are the only other players to score in extra-time in the decider.

Paolo Maldini, who was 39 when he represented AC Milan against Boca Juniors at Japan 2007, is the oldest player to appear in the final. The Italian is set to be outranked by 43-year-old Fluminense goalkeeper Fabio. Forty-year-old Felipe Melo, meanwhile, will become the fixture’s oldest outfield player.Eighteen successive finals have produced a goal. The only one not to was the first between Corinthians and Vasco da Gama. Real Madrid’s 5-3 win over Al Hilal at Morocco 2022 is the highest-scoring final, and joint-highest-scoring match, in the competition’s history.

Eleven years have passed since a non-European side lifted the trophy. Corinthians were last thanks to a 1-0 upset of Chelsea at Japan 2012. The most successive Intercontinental Cups claimed by Europe was five, with Ajax, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and Manchester United conquering from 1995 to ’۹۹٫

Brazilian clubs will regain the outright lead from Spanish ones for appearances in the final on Friday. Corinthians have run out in two deciders, while Fluminense will join Vasco da Gama, Sao Paulo, Internacional, Santos, Gremio, Flamengo and Palmeiras in appearing in one. Seventeen nations have been represented in the fixture.

Andres Iniesta (Japan 2006 and Japan 2015 for Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Japan 2008 for Manchester United and UAE 2017 for Real Madrid), Cesar Azpilicueta (Japan 2012 and UAE 2021 for Chelsea), and David Alaba and Toni Kroos (both Morocco 2013 for Bayern Munich and Morocco 2022 for Real Madrid) share the record for playing in Club World Cup finals nine years apart. Fluminense’s Marcelo, who played for Real Madrid in the 2014 decider, will join the bracket if he appears on Friday.

Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti share the record for three crowns as coach. The former will take the outright lead if Manchester City win the Saudi Arabia 2023 final.