How English teams, including Chelsea and Manchester United, have done in the Club World Cup as Liverpool book place in 2019 final
But they were made to sweat in their semi-final as Roberto Firmino’s late strike gave the Reds a 2-1 win over Mexican side Monterrey in Qatar.
Naby Keita opened the scoring on 12 minutes but they were pegged back shortly after through Rogelio Funes Mori’s strike, the twin brother of former Everton player Ramiro Funes Mori.
They face Brazilian side Flamengo in the final on Saturday, a match you can listen to LIVE on talkSPORT 2, kick-off 5;30pm.
Jurgen Klopp’s side are playing in the tournament after winning last season’s Champions League.
They’ll fancy their chances to lift the trophy as Liverpool have all of their senior players over in the Middle East.
However, the Club World Cup is a trophy that has always eluded Liverpool so there could be a grain of doubt in the back of the players’ minds.
Five English teams have earned the right to call themselves European champions but it’s been a mixed bag for them on the ‘world stage’.
talkSPORT.com has taken a look at how English teams have fared at the Club World Cup or the Intercontinental Cup as it was known before the tournament’s inauguration in 2000.
LIVE on talkSPORT
Check out all the live commentaries coming up across our network this week…
- Middlesbrough vs Stoke (Friday, 7:45pm) – talkSPORT 2
- Everton vs Arsenal (Saturday, 12:30pm) – talkSPORT
- Aston Villa vs Southampton (Saturday, 3pm) – talkSPORT 2
- Cardiff vs Preston (Saturday, 12:30pm) – talkSPORT 2
- Manchester City vs Leicester (Saturday, 5:30pm) – talkSPORT
- Liverpool vs Flamengo (Saturday, 5;30pm) – talkSPORT 2
- Sheffield Wednesday vs Bristol City (Sunday, 12pm) – talkSPORT 2
Liverpool
They may have been European champions on six occasions but Liverpool have never been world champions.
Click Here: USA Rugby Shop
However, they didn’t take part in the Intercontinental Cup in 1977 or 1978, which put the winner of the European Cup and Copa Libertadores that year against each other, due to hostility fears that European clubs had faced in the past.
Their first appearance came in 1981 against Brazilian side Flamengo, who they will face in this year’s final, in Tokyo. But a jet-lagged Reds side were beaten convincingly 3-0 in the Japanese capital.
In 1984, Liverpool came unstuck once again, losing 1-0 to Argentine club Independiente in Tokyo.
Liverpool’s last chance to rule the world came in 2005 with the tournament known as the Club World Cup at that point and won their semi-final against Deportivo Saprissa 3-0 thanks to a Peter Crouch brace and Steven Gerrard’s volley.
But they choked in the final, losing 1-0 to Sao Paulo with future Chelsea flop Mineiro getting the winner. Will Liverpool finally get over the line this time?
Manchester United
Behind Liverpool in European crowns is Man United, who have three under their belt.
But the Red Devils do have one Club World Cup honour to their name having won it in 2008, with Wayne Rooney’s strike giving them a 1-0 win over Ecuadorian side Liga de Quito in Yokohama.
Following their first European crown, Man United played a two-legged final against Argentine side Estudiantes in September and October 1968.
They were beaten 1-0 in South America and could only manage a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford. Both matches were feisty affairs with Nobby Stiles red carded in the first leg, while a player from each side was sent off at Old Trafford – George Best the Red Devil to be given his marching orders.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s Man United played in the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup in January 2000, which took place in Rio de Janeiro and causing them to pull out of the FA Cup that season.
But they must have wished they hadn’t bothered leaving as they were eliminated at the group stage with just a win, a draw and a defeat against South Melbourne, Necaxa and Vasco de Gama.