If you were to ask FIFA (don’t), the Club World Cup is the most prestigious trophy in club football. The top teams from across the world compete against each other having won their respective continents biggest trophy the previous year.
Sides such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Corinthians, Sao Paulo, Milan and Inter have been the winners of the competition in the past – but it’s not always those teams involved in the most entertaining games.
Here’s a list of the best games to have taken place at the Club World Cup since it was created in 2000.
After winning the Champions League in 2008, Manchester United travelled to Japan where they took on the Asian Champions League winners Gamba Osaka in the semi-finals.
In a thrilling contest, it was goals from Nemanja Vidic, Cristiano Ronaldo, Darren Fletcher and Wayne Rooney that got the Red Devils over the line in the end as the home side tried to fight back with two late consolations.
Is there a better sight in football than a pre-knee injury Kaka running at the opponent to get his team goals? If there are, there aren’t many.
Boca Juniors found out that the hype was real as the Brazilian got a goal and an assist in this entertaining win, while Pippo Inzaghi and Alessandro Nesta also got on the scoresheet to beat the Copa Libertadores holders and take the title in 2007.
Resultados que solo se han dado UNA VEZ en un #MundialDeClubes?:
4-3 Al Nassr vs Raja Casablanca 2000
5-3 Manchester United vs South Melbourne 2000
5-1 Monterrey vs Al Ahly SC 2013
?3-3 AL AIN FC VS TEAM WELLINGTON FC #Mundialdeclubes2018 pic.twitter.com/tPn6h9qeEB— El Anecdotario (@ElAnecdotario_) December 12, 2018
Rubbish goalkeepers, shocking defending, a 45-yard screamer, and a comeback? In one game? Go on then!
In the first edition of the competition back in 2000, Mexico’s Raja Casablanca took on Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr in a group game and what followed was a crazy, crazy spectacle.
Al-Nassr pulled into a 3-1 lead before Raja fired back, including an equalising goal from just outside the centre circle. That wasn’t enough though as Al-Nassr took the lead again four minutes from time to seal the win.
Widely regarded as the greatest club side ever, Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona team took on a young Neymar in the final in 2011.
The king made sure the limelight was on him though, as Lionel Messi scored twice in a 4-0 win that sealed their position as the the best team in the world with a sixth trophy for the year.
In the midst of their historic three-peat of Champions League successes, Real Madrid also did a three-peat of Club World Cups too.
This was the first of those three in a row, but their Japanese opposition made it difficult. Karim Benzema gave Real the lead, but Kashima fought back and took the lead. But if there’s one thing you don’t do it’s take the spotlight off Cristiano Ronaldo in a final, as the Portuguese wizard scored a hat-trick to wrap up a 4-2 win after extra-time.
Two of the lesser known teams in the competition in 2018 met in the first round as UAE’s Al Ain took on New Zealand’s Team Wellington.
The Oceania semi-professional team shot into a 3-0 lead in the first half, started off by an absolute corker from outside the box by Mario Barcia. Al Ain pulled one back before half-time and eventually levelled it out at 3-3. They had a man sent off in extra-time too, but they still went on to win the penalty shootout to progress to the next round.
They made it all the way to the final, before losing to Santiago Solari’s Real Madrid side.
Last year’s tournament is mostly remembered for being won by Liverpool, but the fifth place playoff clash produced a classic.
Eight goals, three penalties and a red card were involved in this one, as Tunisia’s ES Tunis hit six past Qatar’s Al-Sadd thanks to a hat-trick from Hamdou Elhouni.
Let’