Can Chelsea emulate Real Madrid?

Chelsea's ambition to become the biggest club in world football by 2014 understandably provoked some fierce debate in England.

In Spain, however, the comments of Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon were met with nothing more than a raised eyebrow.

They know that Barcelona and Real Madrid, along with Manchester United, are the biggest clubs in the world -- and even if Chelsea enjoy success every season for the next 30 years -- they still won't match the Spanish giants.

What Kenyon meant was that Chelsea are on course to become the biggest "brand" in world football and this could happen given his undeniable business acumen and the backing of Roman Abramovich's seemingly inexhaustible fortune.

But although the Russian billionaire may have taken the short cut to success in the business world, reaching the summit of world football is a long, arduous and at times unpredictable journey.

Spaniards know that no matter how effective Chelsea's business plans are, the Londoners will never be able to compete with Real Madrid and Barcelona in terms of history, heritage, romance and tradition, let alone social and political influence.

REAL REPUTATION

Real forged their reputation with five consecutive European Cup victories between 1956 and 1960 and now have won nine European Cups, two UEFA Cups, 29 league titles, 17 domestic Cups and three World Club Cups.

That's a haul that would take Chelsea nearly about a third of a century to match, and thats if they won two major trophies every season and Real won nothing until around 2036.

Barcelona may not have enjoyed quite the same level of European success as Real, but they have 18 league titles, 24 domestic Cups, four Cup Winners' Cups and two European Cups to their name.

Barca also remain the only team to have taken part in European competition every season since they began in 1955-56, while the list of glitterati that have worn their famous scarlet and blue shirts rivals that of Real.

Unlike Chelsea, both Real and Barca also carry a weight and influence in Spanish society that the Londoners will never be able to match.

The vast majority of Spaniards have pledged allegiance to one of the two big clubs, politicians court their favour, banks, television stations and construction companies scrap over sponsorships deals and contracts.

Real's recent world record 1.1 billion-euro deal to televise their matches until 2013 is ample proof of the sort of pulling power Chelsea are up against.

In short, like AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus, the two clubs are national institutions, and Chelsea are unlikely ever to achieve that sort of status in England where only Manchester United, Liverpool and possibly Arsenal have a nationwide appeal far out-stretching their geographical roots.

Real and Barcelona have stadiums that can rightly claim to be cathedrals of football, the towering Bernabeu can hold close to 80,000, while the vast expanses of the Nou Camp can pack in close to 100,000.

Outside Spain, and together with Manchester United, the shirts of Real and Barca are the two most recognisable football strips in the world.

RICH HISTORY

The all-white shirt and shorts of Real have inspired awe since the 1950s.

Barcelona's stylish "azulgrana" outfit is arguably just as famous, while their decision to eschew the temptations of commercial sponsorship and dedicate the space on the shirts to publicising the United Nations children's agency UNICEF is proof that Barca is "mes que un club" ("more than a club").

Both institutions can boast of a rich history that has made them part of the Spanish cultural fabric.

The impact of the Civil War, the way in which Real was used as a tool of international recognition for Franco's Spain, Barcelona's links with the Catalan nationalist movement, the media obsession with the two clubs, all this gives them a far bigger dimension than Chelsea.

Such history and tradition inevitably gives the two teams worldwide appeal too. Chelsea may be focussed on exploiting the Asian market, but Real and Barca have already done so.

They have also got South America sewn up, while the Hispanic influence in the United States gives them a headstart there.

The Londoners have become a major force in European football in recent years and certainly inspire respect amongst their continental rivals.

However they need to do far more than win a few European Cups before they can even think about matching the power and might of the Spanish giants -- never mind surpassing them in eight years time.