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Madrid out to continue Europe's recent dominance

As Real Madrid CF prepare to face CA San Lorenzo de Almagro in a bid to win a first FIFA Club World Cup, we look back at the tournament and its illustrious predecessor.

Real Madrid CF take on Argentina's CA San Lorenzo de Almagro on Saturday in a bid to lift their first FIFA Club World Cup. Though the UEFA Champions League holders are hoping to win the current competition for the first time, they have plenty of success on the world stage in the old European/South American Cup – replaced by the Club World Cup in 2005 after a first staging of the new tournament in 2000 – and UEFA.com takes the opportunity to chart old European glories in both events.

Early days
The first European/South American Cup took place in 1960, when Madrid – fresh from their historic 7-3 European Champion Clubs' Cup final defeat of Eintracht Frankfurt – faced Uruguayan Copa Libertadores victors CA Peñarol. After a 0-0 first-leg draw in Montevideo, Madrid blew the visitors away in the second instalment. Three goals in the opening eight minutes – two from Ferenc Puskás – prefaced a 5-1 win to give first blood to the Europeans.

Peñarol got their revenge the following year with SL Benfica the victims, before two years of dominance by a Pelé-led Santos FC. The pendulum swung back towards Europe in 1964 as FC Internazionale Milano disposed of CA Independiente two seasons running, but there was a three-year wait for the next triumph – AC Milan 4-2 aggregate winners against Club Estudiantes de la Plata in 1969 in a notoriously bruising contest.

European drought
After Feyenoord, AFC Ajax, Club Atlético de Madrid and FC Bayern München all subsequently lifted the trophy, the late 1970s and early 1980s were a barren time. Indeed, following Bayern's 1976 success – inspired by Gerd Müller and Jupp Kappellman goals against Cruzeiro EC – there was not another winner from this side of the Atlantic until 1985. Then, Michel Platini scored a penalty in normal time and one in the shootout as Juventus saw off AA Argentinos Juniors.

Raúl was the match winner in 1998
Raúl was the match winner in 1998©Getty Images

Milan and Madrid set the pace
World champions in 1960, Madrid had to wait another 38 years to get their hands on the trophy again. Raúl González made the difference in Tokyo – home of the European/South American (or 'Toyota') Cup from 1980 to 2001 – in a 2-1 triumph against CR Vasco de Gama before a 2002 win against Club Olimpia. The Spaniards' three victories represented the joint-highest European tally before the competition morphed into the FIFA Club World Cup.

Milan were the other team to take the title three times, their 1969 coronation supplemented by back-to-back wins in 1989 and 1990 as Colombia's Club Atlético Nacional and Club Olimpia of Paraguay were seen off. A 2007 success for the Rossoneri in the modern format – Filippo Inzaghi hitting two in the 4-2 final victory over CA Boca Juniors – means the Italian side have the highest number of triumphs (four) across both competitions.

United take on Vasco de Gama in 2000
United take on Vasco de Gama in 2000©Getty Images

A new era
The new format was first tried in 2000 when both Manchester United FC and Madrid participated in an eight-team two-group tournament in Brazil which involved sides from South America, North America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. Neither European club made the final – which was an all-Brazilian affair – and Madrid came fourth, losing on penalties to Mexico's Club Necaxa in the third-place play-off.

The success of the global competition spelled the end for the European/South American Cup, the last final being played in 2004 with FC Porto the last winners in a shoot-out against CD Once Caldas from Colombia.

Milan celebrate in 2007
Milan celebrate in 2007©Getty Images

European domination
The FIFA Club World Cup took over for good in 2005 and, after victories for Brazilian outfits São Paulo FC and SC Internacional, Europe has held sway. Only SC Corinthians Paulista, in 2012, have managed to break the UEFA Champions League winners' hegemony, with FC Barcelona leading the way with two triumphs (2009, 2011); Milan, Inter, Manchester United and Bayern have all chipped in with one.

In the ten editions of the event completed so far, Josep Guardiola has taken the crown on three occasions, twice with Barça and once with Bayern, while Carlo Ancelotti – victorious in the old format as a player in 1989 – is targeting a second success as a coach on Saturday.