The end of the calendar year offers, as always, great challenges between the great teams from various continents. For this 2024, however, there is something new: after twenty years the Intercontinental Cup, which will see Real Madrid and Pachuca compete. Or at least, the name of the historic trophy is back in vogue.
Which, until 2004, was awarded with a match between the winner of the Champions League (or European Cup, previously) and the winner of the Copa Libertadores. Then came the Club World Cup, which also involved the other winning teams of their continental tournaments, but with a formula that in the end only a few people were passionate about, until the creation of the new World Cup with 32 teams and to be played every four years.
So the old Club World Cup formula, the one seen until last year, has been recycled to revive the Intercontinental Cup, with only six teams competing for the trophy. With one, the winner of the Champions League, already calm in the final and waiting to meet her opponent, in a tournament that came to life last September 22nd.
In fact, on that day the match between Al-Ain and Auckland City, winners of the Asian and Oceania Champions League, took place. Al-Ain then challenged Al-Ahly, who triumphed in the African Champions League, with the latter winning, while Pachuca won the ‘derby of the Americas’ last December 11th against Botafogo. The two winners then competed in the Challenger Cup, with the Mexicans victorious on penalties.
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