For the second time in the history of the Club World Cup, Sport Club Corinthians Paulista will be taking a part in the competition after winning the 2012 Copa Libertadores. While the chances of winning the competition are always small for a South American team, the Timão gave the players quite a proper send off.

More than 15,000 fans crammed into Guarulhos International Airport in Sao Paulo to celebrate with their players before they took the plane to Japan.

The competition begins on December 6, but Corinthians don’t play their first match until the semifinal on December 12, while Chelsea also get to wait until that day to play for the first time in the other semifinal. Ulsan Hyundai of South Korea, Al-Ahly of Egypt, Monterrey of Mexico, Auckland City from New Zealand and Sanfrecce Hiroshima of Japan are also taking a part in the competition.

Corinthians were part of the inaugural Club World Cup back in 2000, winning the competition after facing Vasco in the final, beating them after a penalty shootout. Corinthians beat Boca Juniors to claim their first ever Copa Libertadores and finished sixth in the 2012 Campeonato Brasileiro.