One by one, Chelsea’s players boarded their eight-hour flight bound for Philadelphia and turned right to go down the aisle, but not Cole Palmer.

The 23-year-old Englishman, being a big kid at heart, chose to take a left turn for a tour of the cockpit, courtesy of the pilot on their plane, an Airbus A321 adorned in blue.

Palmer was not the only one consumed by curiosity on the journey to the United States. We are all pondering just how seriously Gianni Infantino’s billion-dollar venture will be regarded by those involved, as Chelsea’s team joins a new competition at the conclusion of a stretched-out campaign.

Otherwise, Maresca has been trying to translate this tournament’s importance to his stars in private.

How it is exciting that they are involved in something new. How the first-time winners of this expanded, expansive showpiece will go down in history.

Cole Palmer was the only Chelsea player not to turn right as he boarded the eight-hour flight to Philadelphia

Palmer being a big kid at heart, he turned left for a tour of the cockpit by the pilot of their plane, an Airbus A321 wrapped in blue

We are all pondering just how seriously Gianni Infantino’s billion-dollar venture will be regarded by those involved, as Chelsea’s team joins a new competition at the conclusion of a stretched-out campaign

How their first time playing competitive club football in the United States can expose them to America in a meaningful way.

How they will receive around three weeks of holiday at the point of exiting the Club World Cup whatever happens – even if that comes after the final in New York on July 13, barely a month before the start of the next Premier League season.

Chelsea’s first group game is tonight versus Los Angeles FC in Atlanta, Georgia – 3pm local time, 8pm back home – but they are borrowing another MLS side in Philadelphia Union’s facilities in Chester, the oldest city in Pennsylvania, as a base for training sessions.

Only 24 of Maresca’s 28-man squad travelled on their Friday afternoon flight, with four of their South Americans – Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Andrey Santos and Aaron Anselmino – meeting them Stateside as it was logistically easier.

Given the humidity – and the odd biblical downpour in the afternoon – their sessions have mainly been scheduled for the mornings. That will leave them with some downtime, with the Rocky Steps among the bucket list items that a few Chelsea players want to tick.

The smart money is on Palmer winning any races to the top, as we are told he has revealed himself as the one to beat in Chelsea’s internal fitness tests in spite his on-field nonchalance. Maresca’s fitness coach Marcos Alvarez may have something to say if anyone admits in earshot that they fancy trying a Philly cheesesteak, mind.

However, you would not blame Palmer if he is too tired to tackle those 72 steps.

Sources have told Mail Sport that the Club World Cup was a hot topic within the last England camp. Harry Kane is here in the United States with Bayern Munich, Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold with Real Madrid, Conor Gallagher with Atletico Madrid, and so on.

Sources have told Mail Sport that the Club World Cup was a hot topic within the last England camp

Chelsea are borrowing MLS side Philadelphia Union’s facilities ahead of their first game on Monday night against Los Angeles FC 

We are hearing the consensus in conversations around their games versus Andorra and Senegal was that everyone felt exhausted after a long season and – while they fully appreciate their clubs’ investment in the Club World Cup, what with £97million awaiting the eventual winners – they are not so sure that the greatest duty of care has been shown towards them after FIFA conjured up this idea for an expanded club competition.

Chelsea had five representatives in the last England squad – Palmer, Levi Colwill, Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah and Noni Madueke – while the club’s non-internationals reconvened at Cobham on Tuesday to begin their prep for the States. The idea being projected was that if they are in it, they may as well try to win it, and that was the same mindset they held towards the Conference League.

Chelsea’s squad were able to watch the Club World Cup’s opener, between Inter Miami and Egyptian side Al Ahly, from their hotel in Philadelphia, and the inclusion of Lionel Messi’s team took Mail Sport back to last summer’s pre-season tour.

It was over lunch with an MLS contact in Charlotte, North Carolina on that trip that the conversation turned to the Club World Cup, then a year away and it not yet confirmed who would be completing the 32 sides.

But my friend had a theory as to how Infantino, the don of FIFA, would settle on which American side deserved an invitation to his glittering spectacle, regardless how their season finished.

‘Something tells me it’ll purely be based on who wears the pinkest shirts,’ he said, and it was no shock that Inter Miami duly arrived, though they were less than pretty in pink in a goalless opening game.

If Chelsea can win their group, they will fly to Miami, and Maresca’s side were among those who made use of FIFA’s special transfer window between June 1 and 10 to bring in Liam Delap for £30m from Ipswich. He will debut for Chelsea here in the States.

They also looked at bringing in AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, though the figures never matched up as the Italians wanted around £25m for a 29-year-old with less than 12 months remaining on his contract.

Liam Delap is set for a Chelsea debut during this tournament after a £30million move from Ipswich this summer

Chelsea’s squad watched the Club World Cup opener between Inter Miami and Al Ahly, which was a damp, goalless squib

It remains to be seen whether they will return for him, though no official bid was submitted in the end.

The same cannot be said for Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens, who was said to be angry after Chelsea’s £42m bid for him was rejected.

Gittens has instead been named in Dortmund’s Club World Cup squad, and could now line up against the Blues in the semi-finals.

As well as not having Maignan or Gittens, Chelsea are again without a front-of-shirt sponsor.

They announced Dubai-headquartered DAMAC Properties for the end of the 2024-25 season, but that deal only covered the final few games of the Premier League and Conference League.

They may have proven a lucky charm as they finished in the top four and won their first trophy under their BlueCo owners.

Mail Sport has been told Club World Cup rules made it difficult for clubs such as Chelsea to find a sponsor purely for this tournament, as they would need to be contracted for the upcoming 2025-26 campaign also.

In addition, FIFA have told participants that whatever shirt they start with, they must finish with, meaning a logo could not suddenly appear on their fronts at the halfway stage.

Only 24 of Maresca’s 28-man squad travelled on their Friday afternoon flight, with four of their South Americans arriving later, including Brazil’s Andrey Santos (pictured)

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has been urging his side to give the Club World Cup everything they have 

New signing Dario Essugo tries to escape Palmer’s clutches in training on Saturday 

Despite those restrictions, Chelsea are determined to take this competition seriously as a club.

By comparison, Bayern Munich chose the Wide World of Sports Complex – within the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida – for their training base for Kane and Co.

Unfortunately for Palmer, it would take him closer to 10 hours than 10 minutes for him to reach the Magic Kingdom if that tour of the cockpit did not satisfy his thrill-seeking. 

But then Chelsea are out to show that this is no Mickey Mouse competition for them.