Thirteen years of European dominance in intercontinental club football came to an end on Thursday as US side Inter Miami defeated Porto 2-1 and Brazil’s Botafogo beat UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 at the revamped Club World Cup.
Lionel Messi’s stunning free kick secured victory for Inter Miami after they came back from a goal down against the Portuguese side, while South American champions Botafogo delivered a disciplined display to outmaneuver PSG.
The results marked a seismic shift in a competition historically dominated by European sides, with the last non-European victory coming in 2012 when Brazil’s Corinthians defeated Chelsea in the Club World Cup final.
Photo: Getty Images via AFP
Botafogo’s triumph was particularly striking.
The Brazilian champions entered the tournament with ample preparation time, arriving in the US weeks in advance and conducting an intensive training camp in Los Angeles.
This stood in stark contrast to their grueling schedule in December last year, when they had to play the final round of the Brazilian league before traveling to Qatar for the Intercontinental Cup with less than 72 hours to recover.
Against PSG, Botafogo delivered a tactical masterclass.
Their compact defensive formation frustrated the French champions, who enjoyed the lion’s share of possession, but struggled to create clear-cut chances.
“The football graveyard is full of so-called favorites,” Botafogo’s Portuguese coach Renato Paiva said.
His side’s discipline and composure were evident throughout as they nullified PSG’s attacking threats and capitalized on a rare opportunity to secure the win, netting the winner in a quick counter led by forward Igor Jesus in the first half.
Earlier in the day, Inter Miami showcased resilience against Porto.
After falling behind they rallied through Messi’s brilliance, with the Argentinian forward curling a sensational free kick into the top corner to seal the comeback.
Despite Porto enduring one of their poorest seasons in years, the victory was a significant statement by the MLS side on the global stage.
The results appear to underline a shift in the competitive balance at the Club World Cup, with non-European teams benefiting from improved preparation and better scheduling.
Brazil’s Flamengo and Argentina’s Boca Juniors would get the next chance to inflict defeats on European opposition last night after press time when they faced Chelsea and Bayern Munich.
A victory for either of the South American clubs would further weaken Europe’s grip on the tournament and show other teams from around the world they have nothing to fear from UEFA’s elite.
Elsewhere, Brazil’s Palmeiras beat Egypt’s Al Ahly in a 2-0 victory at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New York, while local Seattle Sounders FC lost at home 1-3 to visiting Atletico Madrid from Spain.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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