Vault la Intercontinental, a competition that was born in 1960 with the aim of Europe and South America crossing their champions and claiming to be the best football in the world. This was until 2004, when the Port was the last champion by defeating the Colombians of Once Caldas. That day, December 12 and in Yokohama, The Intercontinental is over with a South American advantage: 22-21. And Argentina as the country with the most titles: nine.
The coach assures that “if there is no risk he will play, but if there is minimal risk he will not.”
Buried for two decades for the Club World Cup to take flight, the FIFA decided a few months ago to recover the Intercontinental, but with a new format, with champions from all the Confederations. This has allowed for the first time a team that is not European or South American to compete to be champion of this competition. The Mexicans of Pachuca they took ahead Botafogochampion of the Libertadores, and in the Lusail from Doha will fight to reach the highest place that a Mexican club has ever reached. The Aztec dean is the one who qualifies for that honor.
But before them is a difficult-to-access mountain called Real Madrid. The great champion of world football will take to the field this afternoon as a big favorite. You say it, his record and his staff; its present and its past. Everything points to the target.
Real Madrid alone leads the Champions League record: 15 titles. Six under the format European Cupmore than anyone, and nine as Champions, more of the same. They have more European Super Cups than anyone else (six) and more Club World Cups than any other (five played and five won).
At Lusail, the jewel of the Qatar World Cup, Real Madrid will also try to be the club that has the most Intercontinental trophies in its cabinets. So far there are three (1960, 1998 and 2002), the same ones that conquered Peñarol, Milan, Nacional, and Boca Junios. Uruguayans (1966) and Argentines (2000) denied Madrid from being the most successful today.
Ancelotti, unique
Carlo Ancelotti can win 15 titles with Madrid in Doha. That would make the Italian surpass Miguel Munoz and he becomes the sole coach with the most trophies taken to the Madrid museum. Of the Madrid native’s 14, 11 were in Spain and three in international competitions. In the case of the Italian, the situation is completely opposite: eight international and six domestic. But with him Milan lost the only Intercontinental final he has directed, the 2003 final against Boca (0-0 and 1-3 on penalties with errors Rossoneri of Pirlo, Seedorf and Costacuta).
And Doha is the opportunity to Mbappé to add his second title with Madrid after the European Super Cup.
