Barca on top of the world

The only one that was missing

FC Barcelona have now won every trophy they could. It is also the sixth title of 2009, the Clubs World Cup, setting an unprecedented record. There’s new cup on show in the museum. And it’s a special one, the one that Barça had never won. In the United Arab Emirate, Barça put the icing on the cake of their best season ever, winning all six major competitions. La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Spanish and European Super Cups, the Champions League and now the FIFA Clubs World Cup.

Unbeatable

Barça 2009 is the first team to win six trophies in such a fashion. The only team to ever manage such a full house was Ajax in 1972, managed by Marinus Michels and led by Johan Cruyff. They won the domestic double, plus the European Cup and Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup. All that was missing was the Dutch Super Cup, which didn’t exist at the time.

Other clubs that have won five titles in a season are Liverpool 2001 and Manchester United 2008. But the Reds didn’t win the league in that glorious season, while United won everything apart from the FA Cup.

A big title

The Clubs World Cup has had a number of different names over the years, but Barça have never got their hands on it. In 1992 they missed out to Sao Paulo (2-1), and then in 2006, another Brazilian side, Inter of Porto Alegre beat the Catalans (1-0). The only two European ‘giants’ never to had their names on the cup were Liverpool and Barça. But from December 19, 2009, it is only the Merseysiders that are missing.

An epic sixth title (2-1)

Barça have been crowned world champions for the first time ever after 120 truly scintillating minutes of epic football. After going a goal behind, Pedro equalised with just a minute to go, and Messi scored the title-winning goal in extra time.

If there is one team that deserved this, then that team was FC Barcelona. Once again they had to come from behind, once again they did that by playing consistent, patient and frankly outstanding football. They were vastly superior to the gritty Argentinian outfit and also had to deal with some bizarre refereeing decisions. For Estudiantes, it was a matter of taking the lead through Boselli and then hanging onto their lead at whatever cost.

And they almost got what they wanted. But then in the 89th minute Pedro did what the injured Iniesta did against Chelsea and equalised just when it looked like the dream could be over. The tension was unbearable as the game went into extra time, but Barça looked as solid as ever and stayed faithful to the football that has achieved so much this year. The Argentinians were tiring more and more, and finally it was their compatriot Leo Messi who grabbed the winner, with his chest! And that was it. Barça have finally won their first ever Clubs World Cup, and an unrepeatable 2009 is over in which the club has won all six of the titles in play. It is impossible to have asked for more!