Chelsea chief Ron Gourlay says the club is becoming much more loved across the world.
Gourlay feels their work across the globe is now being appreciated.
"When I took over, we were under a little bit of pressure about our image. Do they love Chelsea FC? Do they hate Chelsea FC? Now Chelsea FC are massively respected around the world. Internationally, we are a more loved team."
But nationally?
"Nationally is very tribal, isn't it?" he tells the London Evening Standard. "You're never going to change a fan in England from a Man United fan to a Chelsea fan. In Asia, you might. Our fan base has grown dramatically worldwide, from 26million to just under 400m, second to Manchester United. If you go to a Chelsea game in Asia, you'll see a lot of families, a lot between the ages of 19 and 32.
"We've worked extremely hard in communities in Asia where the kids didn't have anywhere to play. We now have 13 blue pitches in Japan, Korea, China, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, all operated and run by Chelsea coaches and all non-profitable. It's important we make sport available in these communities. Chelsea providing these communities with something is vitally important. We want to make a positive difference, and we are, to huge numbers of kids on a daily basis."
