Any tournament labelled Mickey Mouse should always have a cartoon villain. So, ladies and gentlemen, would you please put your hands together, particularly those from FIFA's organising committee, for nor Senor David Beckham of Manchester United and England. He has, after all, given a black and white outline some much-needed colour.

Thus the World Club Championship awoke yesterday morning to the welcome news that this relentlessly derided competition had at last made the front and back pages of the planet's press because of something that occurred on a football pitch rather than some minor spat off it.

For that Beckham should be given credit, or possibly FIFA-sponsored sarongs; because without Beckham's recklessness in the Maracana on Thursday evening United would not have had to stage such a marvellous, 10-man rally in poker-hot conditions in a stadium simmering near the boil. Without that, interest would have subsided.

But, with one foolish challenge, Beckham blessed this half-constructed house with the cement of drama. In itself it was sufficient for the FIFA mandarins to continue building an argument for this to become an annual event.

But then United's comeback, South Melbourne's resistance and the Maracana acoustics must have had them squirting their Swiss-made fountain pens in delight.

Tonight, when United face Vasco da Gama, the champions of Europe against one of South America's finest - in what is sure to be another magical Maracana atmosphere - the tournament could pass through the front door of credibility.

Not that Beckham will be present. As expected, FIFA confirmed that he would be suspended for the Vasco game, though for that match only. Other FIFA and UEFA competitions are unaffected by Beckham's red card. He does have a fine of Stg£800 to pay. Where will he find the money?

Alex Ferguson, also "dismissed" against Necaxa, will not be pitch side either after FIFA charged him with "unacceptable behaviour" towards the Argentinian referee, Horacio Elizondo, and the fourth official, Saad Kamel Mane.

Ferguson will be forced to watch tonight's match from the stands - "Not such a big hardship," he said - and he too has a fine to pay. His is £2,000. Of greater concern to him is that tonight's referee is Thursday's fourth official, Mr Mane of Kuwait.

As is typical with Ferguson, he got his retaliation in first yesterday. Insisting, unbelievably, that he had not yet seen a television replay of Beckham's challenge, Ferguson reacted to the FIFA punishment by saying: "Well, I think in the case of David it is a fair one. One game. I think it would have been unfair if they had carried it on. As far as myself is concerned, it's nothing really. The referee had lost it by that time anyway."

Later on, when outlining his worries for this evening, Ferguson added: "Vasco will be playing in front of their own fans, in their own climate - and with their own referee? Who knows?" When Brazilian journalists expressed their annoyance at the last remark Ferguson said it was a joke.

His mood was upbeat. Belatedly, he spoke of Rio's beauty and his contentment at being here. He said he would like to return and complimented the Vasco da Gama team and their fans for the noise they made on Thursday. United also want to donate Ferguson's and Beckham's fines to local charities. This is called PR.

Beckham's absence should result in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's presence, and Ferguson hinted at one other change. But, aside from the spirit his 10 players showed in clawing their way back against Necaxa, he appeared to derive most satisfaction from the fact that none of the United players suffered any significant dehydration or weight loss, and he will have a large squad to choose from for an occasion he described as "the kind of thing you want to be involved in".

Responding to another question, Ferguson said enthusiastically that the whole trip is a "fantastic experience", and there is no doubt that if Edmundo, Romario or Felipe spark this evening, then United could find themselves embroiled in yet another epic.

Certainly FIFA hope so.

Classic matches add momentum, and FIFA's undisguised conclusion is that this tournament should become an annual occurrence, to be held in the European winter when most leagues, England excluded, have a break.

The powers that be are determined to prove that Mickey Mouse does not wear a FIFA wristwatch.