Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes Chelsea need to win this season's FIFA Club World Cup in order to keep up with the likes of Liverpool and Real Madrid.
The Blues are playing in the competition for the second-ever time, after losing 1-0 in the final to Corinthians a decade ago.
Al Hilal stand in Chelsea's way of a place in the final, with Palmeiras waiting in the wings to face the winner of the semi.
Plenty of people have debated the importance of the Club World Cup, but former Chelsea striker Hasselbaink believes it's imperative his old side can become world champions in order to reach the level of some of European's biggest clubs.
"I think it's massive for the players. It's one of those that you can only win if you win the Champions League, so you don't get these kind of opportunities a lot," Hasselbaink said on E4's live coverage of the match.
"It is for them a must-win one, for the players, for the club, where the club is going. It's to be on the same kind of level, or getting themselves, to Barcelona, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich - they have all done it.
"So, if Chelsea want to compete all the time with these kinds of clubs, then Chelsea need to go out and do the business."
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, who is currently back in England isolating after testing positive for Covid-19 before the weekend's win over Plymouth Argyle, has also stated the importance of the Blues being successful in the Club World Cup.
Tuchel said this at the end of January: "I have to say once you are in it you are pretty excited. Once you are not in it, it is a competition that has not the highest focus on and highest value. It seems like this in Europe, or only for me.
"But once you are in it and you start planning it and you see it coming on the horizon, it is quite exciting."
