As a data scientist who’s modeled soccer outcomes from the Premier League to the Champions League, I’ve analyzed why the FIFA Club World Cup fails its core purpose: identifying the world’s best club. With elite teams like Liverpool and Barcelona excluded, inconsistent player allocation, and an inherently skewed qualification system, this tournament isn’t a championship—it’s a PR event disguised as competition. Let me walk you through the math behind why it’s meaningless—and what real football analytics should measure instead.