World football’s governing body, FIFA, has effectively crowned a huge European club as ‘world champions’ 50 years on from winning a coveted trophy.
The term ‘world champions’ is usually used for the team that won the FIFA World Cup, meaning that the 2022 winners, Argentina, currently hold the accolade.
Meanwhile, in club football, the winners of the FIFA Club World Cup may also be dubbed ‘world champions’, with Chelsea winning the re-formatted 2025 edition of the tournament in the US.
However, there is a lesser-known competition that also allows teams to call themselves world champions if they are successful in it.
Advert
The 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup has essentially replaced the old Club World Cup and will take place yearly.
The 2024 edition of the revamped tournament took place across the UAE and Qatar, with Real Madrid crowned champions.
This year, 2024/25 Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain will represent Europe in the seven-team competition set to take place in Qatar.
The French outfit will be joined by Brazil’s Flamengo, Mexico’s Cruz Azul, Egypt’s Pyramids FC, Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli, and New Zealand’s Auckland City, with the final taking place on December 17.
PSG only have to play in the final, while Cruz Azul, Flamengo, or Pyramids will play two knockout games in a week.
Ahead of the tournament, Mundo Deportivo reported that all champions of the Intercontinental Cup between 1960 and 2004 have now been declared as Club World Cup champions.
According to lawyer Marcelo Bee Sellares, the Intercontinental Cup “retains validity as a world title”, while the “Club World Cup coexists as a subsequent format, does not replace the title”.
One team who will likely be pleased with this are Atletico Madrid, who won the 1974 - played in 1975 - Intercontinental Cup with a 2-0 victory over Club Independiente at the Vincente Calderon Stadium.
Atleti only took part in the competition after 1974 European Cup winners Bayern Munich refused to play, meaning the beaten finalists stepped in.
The La Liga side are the only club crowned ‘world champions’ that have not won either the European Cup or Champions League in its existence.
Atletico have lost three Champions League finals - in 1974, 2014, and 2016.
Intercontinental Cup Winners 1960-2004
1960 – Real Madrid
1961 – Peñarol
1962 – Santos
1963 – Santos
1964 – Independiente
1965 – Independiente
1966 – Peñarol
1967 – Racing Club
1968 – Estudiantes
1969 – Milan
1970 – Feyenoord
1971 – Nacional
1972 – Ajax
1973 – Independiente
1974 – Atlético Madrid
1975 – Not held
1976 – Bayern Munich
1977 – Boca Juniors
1978 – Not held
1979 – Not held
1980 – Nacional
1981 – Flamengo
1982 – Peñarol
1983 – Grêmio
1984 – Independiente
1985 – Juventus
1986 – River Plate
1987 – Porto
1988 – Nacional
1989 – Milan
1990 – Milan
1991 – Red Star Belgrade
1992 – São Paulo
1993 – São Paulo
1994 – Vélez Sarsfield
1995 – Ajax
1996 – Juventus
1997 – Borussia Dortmund
1998 – Real Madrid
1999 – Manchester United
2000 – Boca Juniors
2001 – Bayern Munich
2002 – Real Madrid
2003 – Boca Juniors
2004 – Porto
Topics: FIFA, Football, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Champions League
Luke Davies