Ex-Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich secured Chelsea's place in the FIFA Club World Cup before leaving and the current team can reap the rewards
Roman Abramovich, Owner of Chelsea celebrates following his team's victory in the UEFA Champions League Final between Manchester City and Chelsea FC
Roman Abramovich was the owner of Chelsea from 2003 until 2022(Image: Getty)
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Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich left the club having guided them into the lucrative FIFA Club World Cup. Winning that tournament netted a hefty sum and Liam Rosenior will now be hoping to utilise this windfall.
The Russian tycoon steered the Blues through a period rich in silverware after he acquired the club in 2003. However, four years ago on Tuesday, he was sanctioned by the UK Government due to alleged ties with Vladimir Putin and Russia – which he denied – following the country's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Chelsea's participation in last summer's Club World Cup was virtually confirmed after the Blues triumphed over Man City 1-0 in the Champions League final of 2021, just prior to the Russian magnate's departure from the club.
The club went on to clinch the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup tournament under former manager Enzo Maresca after defeating Paris Saint-Germain in the final, earning them a sum just short of £85million.
The club's earnings were divided between a guaranteed participation fee and performance-based bonuses. For their participation fee, Chelsea pocketed £21.4m. Their group stage victories earned them £3m, whilst they bagged £5.6m in the round of 16. Their quarter-final spot secured them £9.7m, whilst a cool £15.6m came their way for triumph in the semi-finals.
Chelsea celebrating their Club World Cup win
Chelsea won the Club World Cup in July last year(Image: Getty)
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The club then pocketed approximately £30m for winning the final. Their estimated total earnings from lifting the trophy stood at around £85m. Overall, FIFA's prize pot distributed amongst all participating clubs reached a remarkable £774m.
Chelsea invested £198m in new signings last summer, bringing in players such as Joao Pedro and Liam Delap. Rosenior will now be seeking to utilise what remains of Abramovich's farewell contribution to strengthen his squad further this summer.
However, the former Strasbourg boss has insisted he is content to allow the Blues' recruitment team, spearheaded by Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, to handle transfer business. Rosenior said back in January: "That's the beauty of being a head coach within a structure. I'm not an old-school manager that's got out the phone and is making calls.
"I've got the best people, I think, in world football working on those things. I probably see the last two per cent of the work they do, which allows me to focus on what I need to focus on: the team and the performance."
Liam Rosenior watches on during Chelsea's win against Wrexham
Rosenior took over as Chelsea boss in January(Image: Getty)
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Nevertheless, following the defeat against Arsenal in March, Rosenior suggested that alterations could be forthcoming this summer as he attempts to mould his squad according to his vision.
"I want us to be high pressing and high energy as well," he said. "That is something that you can't solve in a short space of time. That comes over a period of months and hopefully years."
Abramovich was forced to offload his stake in the club to Todd Boehly and Clearlake in May 2022 for £2.5billion. During his 19-year reign, Chelsea secured 21 major honours, including five Premier League crowns, five FA Cups, two Champions League triumphs, and two Europa League victories.