Real Madrid reached a record fifth Club World Cup final with a resounding 4-1 win over Al Ahly in Wednesday's semi-final in Rabat.

African champions Al Ahly had their fair share of chances, but Madrid's superior quality ensured they had enough to see them off and set up a date with Al-Hilal in Saturday's final.

Madrid broke the deadlock with Vinicius Junior's dinked finish in the 42nd minute, before Federico Valverde gave the Champions League winners a 2-0 lead just after the interval. 

Al Ahly halved the arrears through Ali Maaloul's penalty before Luka Modric saw a spot-kick of his own saved, but Rodrygo and Sergio Arribas got on the scoresheet in stoppage time to leave Madrid eyeing a record fifth world title.

After a cagey opening that gave Al Ahly encouragement, opportunities flowed at both ends. 

Mohamed Sherif and Mohamed Abdelmonem both went close for Al Ahly, before Vinicius tested Mohamed El-Shenawy from a tight angle.

Rodrygo then hit the left-hand post from a similar situation soon after, but Madrid did net just prior to half-time.

Aliou Dieng's pass gave Mahmoud Metwaly too much to do and Vinicius pounced, lifting an impudent finish over the approaching El-Shenawy.

Valverde then showed great composure to score from close range after El-Shenawy parried Rodrygo's effort less than two minutes into the second period.

Al Ahly soon had renewed hope, though, Maaloul coolly converting a spot-kick after a clumsy trip by Eduardo Camavinga on Hussein El Shahat.

Modric spurned the chance to restore Madrid's two-goal lead with a penalty of his own towards the end, but his failure mattered little.

Rodrygo's cheeky finish in stoppage time put the game beyond Al Ahly, before Sergio Arribas found the bottom-right corner to open his account for the senior side. 

 

 

Salem Al Dawsari scored two first-half penalties as Al Hilal beat 10-man Flamengo 3-2 to reach their first Club World Cup final on Tuesday.

Al Dawsari opened the scoring from the spot for the Saudi Arabian champions only four minutes into the semi-final at Stade Ibn-Batouta after Matheuzinho was adjudged to have fouled Luciano Vietto.

The in-form Pedro equalised for the Copa Libertadores champions after 20 minutes with a clinical side-footed finish.

A huge moment in the game came deep into first-half stoppage time, when Gerson was sent off for a second bookable offence after he caught Vietto in the box and referee Istvan Kovacs pointed to the spot after a lengthy check on the pitchside monitor.

Al Dawsari made no mistake once again from 12 yards out, and Vietto fired in off the crossbar with his right foot with 20 minutes to play to put the champions of Asia in command in Tangier.

Pedro's sixth goal in four games for Flamengo in the closing stages set up a tense finale, but Al Hilal hung on to ensure they will face Real Madrid or Al Ahly in the final on Saturday.

 

Carlo Ancelotti suggested Spanish football has a "problem" with racism after Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior was abused again on Sunday.

LaLiga launched an investigation on Monday after social media footage showed racist insults being directed at Vinicius during Madrid's 1-0 defeat at Real Mallorca on Sunday.

The 22-year-old was subjected to racist abuse in both of Madrid's matches with city rivals Atletico Madrid this season, while LaLiga filed hate crime charges to Spanish courts after similar incidents in December's game with Real Valladolid.

Vinicius accused LaLiga in December of "doing nothing" to combat racism, and his head coach feels Spanish football must face up to the issue.

"The question I ask is this: What is the problem?" Ancelotti told reporters. "Vinicius? Vinicius' team-mates? What's the problem? To defend himself? What does Vinicius have to defend himself against? What do his team-mates have to defend themselves against? I don't know.

"It seems like the problem is Vinicius, but the problem is what happens around him. Period.

"It is a problem of Spanish football. I am a part of Spanish football and I think it's a problem that we have to solve. Because it seems that Vinicius is the culprit, but he is the victim of something that I don't understand."

Federico Valverde defended Vinicius' exuberant playing style after he was fouled 10 times against Mallorca – the most by any Madrid player in a Spanish top-flight match since Isco against Real Betis in August 2013.

Vinicius has won 79 fouls in LaLiga this season, 25 more than any other player, and Valverde feels Madrid's players must stand up for him to counter any opposition roughhouse tactics.

"He is an incredible person, with a lot of values," Valverde said ahead of Madrid's Club World Cup semi-final against Egyptian side Al Ahly on Wednesday. "On the pitch, he tries to enjoy it, that's the way he is.

"I always say that so many fouls on the pitch is part of the game, we have to defend him as team-mates.

"Another thing is racism and what happens on the pitch, [there is] so much anger. He is a 22-year-old boy. I think Vinicius deserves respect."

Karim Benzema and Thibaut Courtois have been left out of Real Madrid's squad for Wednesday's Club World Cup semi-final against Al Ahly.

Captain Benzema sustained a leg injury in last week's 2-0 LaLiga win over Valencia and the striker subsequently missed Sunday's shock 1-0 loss at Real Mallorca.

Goalkeeper Courtois suffered a groin strain during the warm-up of that defeat to Mallorca, which leaves Madrid trailing leaders Barcelona by eight points.

Neither player travelled with the Madrid squad to Moroccan capital Rabat on Monday, while Eder Militao, Lucas Vazquez, Ferland Mendy and Eden Hazard were also absent.

Key men Benzema and Courtois still have a chance of being fit for Saturday's final against either Flamengo or Al Hilal, should Madrid overcome Egyptian side Al Ahly.

Los Blancos, who have won the competition four times in the past eight seasons, also have a Champions League last-16 first-leg tie at Liverpool in a fortnight. 

Real Madrid await in the Club World Cup semi-finals for Al Ahly after the Egyptian side snatched a late victory over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday.

Mohamed Afsha's 88th-minute strike proved the difference as Al Ahly edged a tight quarter-final 1-0 against their Major League Soccer opponents in Morocco.

The reward for Al Ahly's late drama sees Marcel Koller's side face reigning Spanish and European champions Madrid on Wednesday in Rabat.

Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer believes there was not much to pick between the two teams, with Seattle unfortunate to see their Club World Cup hopes dashed with just minutes remaining.

"I thought we were good and I thought we were evenly matched," he said. "Had a couple of chances, but the deflection on the goal was unfortunate.

"They put everything into the game and everything into the pre-season."

Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal defeated Morocco's Wydad Casablanca on penalties in the other quarter-final clash after a 1-1 draw.

Al Hilal will face South American champions Flamengo on Tuesday in their bid to reach the final.

Hussein El-Shahat matched the exploits of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale by scoring at a third Club World Cup as Al Ahly beat Auckland City 3-0 in the first round.

El-Shahat opened the scoring with a low 25-yard drive on the stroke of half-time in Tangier on Wednesday, before neat one-on-one finishes from Mohamed Sherif and Percy Tau made Al Ahly's victory safe.

The winger's effort took him to three goals in three editions of the tournament, having also found the net for Al Ain in 2018 and with his current club in 2021.

Ronaldo, Messi and Bale are the only other players to net at three separate Club World Cups, while Ronaldo is the competition's all-time top scorer with seven goals.

Ronaldo is also the only player to score for two separate champions at the tournament, doing so for Manchester United in 2008 and Real Madrid in 2016 and 2017, while Messi found the net during Barcelona's triumphant 2009, 2011 and 2015 campaigns.

Wednesday's game was also notable for referee Ma Ning announcing the rationale for his decision to send off Auckland's Adam Mitchell to the crowd after being sent to the VAR monitor, as part of a 12-month trial across FIFA tournaments.

Al Ahly's reward for their comprehensive win is a second-round tie against the Seattle Sounders on Saturday, the winners of which will face European champions Real Madrid in the semi-finals.

Morocco's Wydad Casablanca will face Al Hilal in the other second-round fixture, with the victors going on to face Copa Libertadores champions Flamengo for a spot in the final.

The Club World Cup begins on Wednesday as seven teams compete to become world champions.

Representatives from each confederation will take part over 11 days in Morocco, with Real Madrid favourites to end up lifting the trophy.

That is not to disrespect any of the other participants, but Europe's stranglehold on the competition simply cannot be denied.

Although South American teams won the first three editions in its current format, the only occasion in the last 15 where the Champions League winners have not triumphed was in 2012 when Corinthians defeated Chelsea in the final, the last time Europe's best did not succeed.

With four-time Club World Cup winners Madrid present, can anyone realistically stop Carlo Ancelotti's men? Stats Perform has taken a look at the other participants.

CONMEBOL – Flamengo

It would be fair to assume that, as the only other confederation to claim the prize, the South American representatives will always be seen as the biggest challengers to Europe.

Flamengo have participated in the Club World Cup before, having reached the final in 2019 only to lose 1-0 to Liverpool after extra time.

The Mengao have faced some recent upheaval with head coach Dorival Junior leaving despite winning the Copa do Brasil and Copa Libertadores, just the third time they had prevailed in South America's premier competition.

Former Fenerbahce and Corinthians boss Vitor Pereira arrived in December and will be relying on star striker Gabriel Barbosa to fire his team to glory, as the ex-Inter man did when he scored the only goal of the Libertadores final against Athletico Paranaense in October.

Despite promising young midfielder Joao Gomes leaving for Premier League side Wolves, Pereira will hope his new team can at least make their way to the February 11 final when they face either hosts Wydad Casablanca or Al Hilal in the final four.

CONCACAF – Seattle Sounders

The Sounders are carrying the hopes not only of Seattle but of MLS as a whole. Due to a series of CONCACAF Champions League heartbreaks for American and Canadian clubs prior to Seattle's triumph last May, the league has had a long, long wait for representation on the world stage.

It is fitting then that the Sounders should be the team to do it, having broken so many barriers since arriving in MLS in 2009, selling out stadiums, enjoying instant success and signing big-name stars from European clubs.

Although the 2022 season saw the Sounders' ever-present record in the MLS playoffs ended, that was no reflection of the quality of this squad; injuries badly hampered Brian Schmetzer's side after their early-season focus on that successful Champions League campaign.

Joao Paulo is back fit again, Raul Ruidiaz provides a goal threat, Jordan Morris' pace causes problems for any defence, and captain Nicolas Lodeiro – a veteran of two World Cups – knits it all together.

The Sounders – and those watching back home – will be desperate to get through the second round and have a crack at heavyweights Madrid.

 

CAF – Wydad Casablanca

Otherwise known as Wydad AC, the Moroccans would have sealed their place regardless of being hosts after lifting the CAF Champions League in May.

Under the guidance of Walid Regragui before he left to lead the Morocco national team to the semi-finals of the World Cup, Zouhair El Moutaraji's two goals in the final against Al Ahly brought Wydad their third Champions League title.

Their record in this competition is less impressive, with their only previous involvement coming in 2017 when they were beaten by Mexico's Pachuca in the second round, before going down 3-2 to Japan's Urawa Reds in the fifth-place playoff.

Former Racing Santander and Birmingham City player Mehdi Nafti took over from Regragui after leaving LaLiga side Levante late last year, and Regragui thinks they can improve on their 2017 showing at least.

"I think the trap game is Al Hilal [second round]. If they manage to pass Al Hilal, they can go to the final against Real Madrid. Everything is possible," the Morocco coach told FIFA.com.

AFC – Al Hilal

The four-time AFC Champions League winners will compete with Wydad in the second round, with the winner going on to face Flamengo in the final four.

Ramon Diaz returned for a second spell in charge, and like several other head coaches at the Club World Cup, was not actually the one who lifted the trophy that got his team here in the first place.

Former Monaco boss Leonardo Jardim was in charge when Al Hilal beat Korea's Pohang Steelers in November 2021, before leaving by mutual consent to be replaced by Diaz.

Diaz is unsurprisingly the only former Oxford United manager at the Club World Cup, but the 63-year-old has plenty of talent to call upon in his quest for glory in Morocco.

Odion Ighalo and Luciano Vietto will be accompanied by a number of players from Saudi Arabia's impressive World Cup campaign, with Al Hilal looking to improve on their last CWC campaign when they were beaten by Chelsea in the semi-finals and Al Ahly in the third-place playoff in 2022.

CAF – Al Ahly

Al Ahly are also back again, somewhat fortuitously as they inherit Wydad's assigned host spot following the Moroccans beating them in the CAF Champions League final.

This will be the Egyptian side's eighth appearance at the Club World Cup, with their most impressive previous campaign seeing them finish third after beating Brazilian's Palmeiras on penalties in 2021.

Head coach Marcel Koller also played no part in his team's qualification for this competition, with the former Austria boss only arriving in September.

With a number of Egypt's national team players to call on, they will be hoping to repeat their previous meeting with Auckland City in the first round when they beat the New Zealanders 2-0 in 2006. 

OFC – Auckland City

This will be the 10th appearance for the Navy Blues, but they are back again after their 3-0 win against Tahiti's Venus in the 2022 OFC Champions League final.

That was overseen by head coach Albert Riera, not to be confused with the former Liverpool and Galatasaray winger, who took charge in December 2021.

Riera will be hoping to at least match his team's best ever performance at the CWC, when they came third in 2014 after winning on penalties against Mexico's Cruz Azul. 

It would take a momentous effort for anyone to stop Madrid, who somehow overcame Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool on their way to Europe's Champions League title last season.

Never say never, though.

Wolves have completed the signing of Flamengo's Copa Libertadores winner Joao Gomes, making the highly rated midfielder their sixth addition of the transfer window.

Gomes has signed a five-and-a-half-year contract with Julen Lopetegui's men, having reportedly rejected interest from Lyon in order to join the Premier League side in a £15million ($18.5m) deal.

Reports claimed Flamengo were refusing to deal with Wolves after receiving a more lucrative offer from the Ligue 1 club earlier this month, delaying his departure.

But the 21-year-old, who started as Flamengo beat Athletico Paranaense to win their third Libertadores crown in October's final, has joined Matheus Cunha, Pablo Sarabia, Mario Lemina, Craig Dawson and Daniel Bentley in moving to Molineux this month.

Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs said: "It's been well publicised that we thought we had a deal sorted a couple of weeks ago, but what's got the deal done has been the player. 

"He's turned down a more lucrative offer at another club because he always said he gave his word, he always wanted to come to Wolves since talking to Julen and I, so he's kept his word and stayed strong."

Gomes will now miss out on a potential meeting with Real Madrid after helping Flamengo reach next month's Club World Cup, and could instead make his Premier League debut against Liverpool on Saturday.  

Referees will explain to crowds and TV audiences the reasoning behind VAR decisions during a 12-month trial across FIFA tournaments, starting with February's Club World Cup.

The Morocco-hosted event will see officials communicate their decisions to audiences for the first time in football.

While conversations with the VAR officials will not be heard by the public, referees are to be provided with a microphone that links them to the in-stadium public address system and broadcasters.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the sport's lawmakers, announced the trial on Wednesday following recommendations made by its advisory panels in October.

With the trial set for 12 months from February 1, the initiative could also be implemented for the Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand later this year.

But IFAB rejected the chance to begin experimenting with temporary concussion substitutes, confirming "no consensus was reached".

The measure, IFAB said, will remain "under active review", though the board "indefinitely extended the trial with permanent concussion substitutions".

Regarding the existing Laws of the Game, IFAB also moved to confirm recent guidelines published on "deliberate play" in offside situations.

Several high-profile incidents – such as Mohamed Salah's FA Cup goal against Wolves last week – led to that publication, and IFAB affirmed that "a player who is clearly in an offside position should not become 'onside' on all occasions when an opponent moves and touches the ball".

Real Madrid could face Seattle Sounders in their Club World Cup semi-final following Friday's draw.

UEFA Champions League winners Madrid will enter the tournament in Morocco at the last-four stage next month.

Carlo Ancelotti's side will have to wait to learn the identity of their opponents, but it could be MLS debutants Seattle.

The Sounders are the first American team to reach the Club World Cup, having won the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League final against Liga MX's UNAM.

Seattle are to make their debut in the second round against the winner of the sole first-round tie between CAF runners-up Al Ahly and OFC champions Auckland City.

The victors in that match will then go through to face Madrid, record four-time world champions.

On the other side of the draw, Copa Libertadores winners Flamengo, who were finalists against Liverpool in 2019, are to take on either CAF champions Wydad Casablanca – also hosts Morocco's representative – or AFC nominees Al Hilal.

With the two semi-finals to take place on February 7 and 8, the final and third-place play-off will follow on February 11.

FIFA is putting the welfare of players at risk with their "short-sighted" plans to introduce a 32-team Club World Cup from 2025, according to FIFPRO.

The football governing body outlined their brief proposals for the new version of the tournament – currently contested annually by seven sides – at a news conference on Friday.

Plans were approved at a FIFA Council meeting earlier in the day to push on with the expanded competition, which will be held once every four years.

FIFA also announced the introduction of a Women's Club World Cup, while a 'World Series' tournament will be held by countries from different continents every other year.

However, the global union for professional football players has hit out at the announcement, claiming there had been no dialogue with FIFA prior to the competitions being ratified.

"FIFPRO took note with surprise of today's decisions by the FIFA Council concerning the international match calendars for men's and women's football that could have serious consequences for and aggravate pressure on the welfare and employment of players," the statement read.

"Despite an understanding FIFPRO reached with FIFA last week that a joint negotiation of the international match calendar would take place before the FIFA Congress in March 2023, these decisions were taken unilaterally without seriously consulting, let alone agreeing, with the players.

"The announcements today of a new format for the Club World Cup as of 2025, new principles for the Men's and Women's IMC [international match calendar] post-2024 and 2023 respectively, including the 'rolling over' of the current women's IMC into 2024-25 which will cause severe congestion during the Olympic competition year, have created new conditions, that further increase pressure on player workload and their job.

"Once again, decisions to scale competitions without implementing appropriate safeguards are short-sighted and pay no attention to players' health and performance.

"This decision once more shows that key stakeholders of the game are not being appropriately involved in decision making of football, even when it concerns the core of their fundamental rights."

It was confirmed on Friday that Morocco will host the 2023 Club World Cup in February, when European champions Real Madrid will be seeking a record-extending fifth title.

FIFA has announced Morocco will host the next edition of the Club World Cup in February, at which Real Madrid will attempt to lift the trophy for a record-extending fifth time.

Madrid secured their 14th European Cup/Champions League title with a 1-0 win over Liverpool at the Stade de France in May, earning entry to a competition they won in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

The other teams to have sealed qualification include Copa Libertadores winners Flamengo, CONCACAF Champions League holders Seattle Sounders, Auckland City and Al Ahly.

FIFA confirmed Morocco as hosts on Friday, and Moroccan side Wydad – who won the CAF Champions League under Walid Regragui last season before he left to manage the national team – will take part on home soil.

Morocco, which unsuccessfully bid to host the 2026 World Cup, has seen its Atlas Lions become one of the stories of the 2022 edition after Regragui led them to the semi-finals, where they lost to France, becoming the first African team to reach that stage. Morocco will face Croatia in the third-place play-off on Saturday.

The tournament will take place between February 1 and 11, 2023, with the final being held 10 days before Madrid take on Liverpool in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

The announcement came on the same say FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed the governing body is proceeding with plans to introduce a revamped 32-team Club World Cup from 2025.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed the governing body is proceeding with plans for a 32-team Club World Cup, while the format of the next World Cup is to be revisited.

Infantino was addressing the media in Doha on Friday for the first time since his extraordinary press conference at the start of Qatar 2022.

He opted against a 45-minute opening monologue on this occasion, instead taking the opportunity to provide an update following a FIFA Council meeting earlier in the day.

During that meeting, plans were approved to push on with a previously proposed expansion to the Club World Cup.

The competition currently pits the winners of the main continental club competitions against each other every year, but the new version will feature 32 teams from across the globe and take place once every four years.

"It will be a Club World Cup of 32 teams, every four years, and the first edition will be summer of 2025," he said. "They will be the best teams in the world invited to participate."

Infantino also revealed FIFA is re-thinking its format for the next World Cup, which will be the first with 48 competing teams.

Initially FIFA planned for the tournament to consist of 16 groups of three teams; however, enlightened by the drama at the end of the first stage of Qatar 2022, Infantino suggested groups of four are likely to remain.

"I have to say, after this World Cup and the success of groups of four and looking at other competitions such as the Euros, here [four-team groups] have been incredible," he added

"I think we have to revisit or at least re-discuss the format. This is something that will certainly be on the agenda."

Speaking two days before Qatar 2022's final, Infantino summarised the tournament as a success in every way, in his opinion, praising the behaviour of supporters.

"The World Cup has been an incredible success on all fronts," said Infantino.

"The main one being the fans, the behaviour, the joyful atmosphere, the bringing of people together. The fans meeting the Arab world, it has been very important for the future of all of us.

"When it comes to the matches, we have seen some incredibly competitive games, some surprises, some great goals.

"At the end of the day, there was on average 10 minutes played as additional time every match. This was a very fair World Cup on the pitch, no simulations, not so many yellow and red cards.

"But this shows the compliment goes to the players and coaches, who maintained their calm, and of course the referees."

Thomas Tuchel has been dismissed by Chelsea following Tuesday's Champions League loss to Dinamo Zagreb, ending a near-20-month stay at Stamford Bridge.

The German arrived midway through the 2021-22 season as Frank Lampard's successor, and steered the Blues to an improbable Champions League triumph just weeks later.

But despite success for the former Paris Saint-Germain boss in Europe, domestic glory has been harder to come by.

This week's defeat to Zagreb was the final straw for new owner Todd Boehly, after a slow start to the new Premier League season that has seen Chelsea win just three of their first six games.

In the wake of his departure, Stats Perform takes a look at the highs and lows of the Tuchel era at Stamford Bridge...

HIGH: European glory from the ashes

Having stepped in to replace Lampard with Chelsea ninth in the Premier League and slipping away from European qualification, Tuchel did more than steer them back on track – he pulled off a shock silverware smash-and-grab.

Not only did he drag them to an eventual fourth-place finish, he oversaw two-legged wins over Porto and Real Madrid to reach the Champions League final – and there, shocked favourites Manchester City to claim the Blues' second title in Europe's biggest club competition.

LOW: Ignominy on the continent

For that high-water mark, however, Chelsea have also had issues at continental level, perhaps best exemplified by two disparate results – this week's loss to Zagreb and last season's Champions League quarter-final exit to Madrid.

Defeat to the Croatian side came with a toothless attack that failed to gel for the German, but the crash against Madrid – when they allowed Karim Benzema to find an extra-time winner – showcased their struggle to close out games.

HIGH: Final delights...

In the time Tuchel has been in charge at Stamford Bridge, he reached all three domestic cup finals available to him, with FA Cup showpiece appearances in 2021 and 2022, and an EFL Cup trip to Wembley, too.

That saw him stand alone in the history of the club and cemented his reputation as something of a cup specialist.

LOW: ...and failures

But on each occasion, he failed to guide the Blues over the line, losing last season to underdogs Leicester City before suffering a pair of defeats against a quadruple-chasing Liverpool side this year.

While he has enjoyed greater success abroad, the struggles at Wembley have haunted his reputation – and may well have played a part in his ultimate dismissal.

HIGH: Champions of the world

Chelsea's Champions League triumph qualified them for a shot at two more major prizes last season – and credit is due for Tuchel guiding them to both, allowing them to stake a claim as the greatest club team in world football.

A nervy Super Cup win over Villarreal was aided by Kepa Arrizabalaga's penalty shootout heroics, while Kai Havertz' extra-time penalty helped the Blues sink Palmeiras to be crowned Club World Cup winners.

LOW: Lukaku lethargy

If there is to be a player that marks Tuchel's legacy at Chelsea outside of his Champions League triumph though, it will almost certainly be Romelu Lukaku – one of the worst transfer flops in recent memory.

Returning to Chelsea after a Serie A title win with Inter, hopes were high for the Belgian's homecoming, but his poor form and difficulties within the German's system saw him frozen out over the latter half of the season.

Lukaku returned to Inter on a year-long loan over the off-season, with just eight Premier League goals in 26 games, and it remains to be seen whether he ever steps foot back in Stamford Bridge again or, if like Tuchel, his time at the club is now over.

The Seattle Sounders are already looking ahead to taking on either Liverpool or Real Madrid after achieving "immortality" by winning the CONCACAF Champions League.

The Sounders beat Pumas UNAM 3-0 at Lumen Field on Wednesday to complete a 5-2 aggregate triumph and finally deliver a first Champions League title for MLS.

Seattle are the league's third CONCACAF champions but first in the Champions League era after a series of heartbreaks for rival clubs.

Two goals from Raul Ruidiaz and a late clincher from captain Nicolas Lodeiro sparked scenes of mass celebration in front of a raucous, record crowd of over 68,741.

Garth Lagerwey, the Sounders' general manager, gave Extratime his assessment: "Immortality. You get into sports for stuff people can never take away.

"This will be written down, it will be there forever. Hopefully it's the first of many."

Real Salt Lake, CF Montreal, Toronto FC and Los Angeles FC had each previously fallen at this final hurdle.

Now, for MLS, Lagerwey says, Seattle are "the symbol, we're the tip of the spear, we pushed through, we finally did it, we vanquished the demons".

"But everybody's welcome," he added. "We want a crowded mountaintop up here. We don't want to be up here by ourselves."

Playing just hours after Madrid had completed an epic semi-final fightback against Manchester City in UEFA's Champions League, Lagerwey could not help consider a Club World Cup clash with a European giant.

"We're going to play against Real Madrid or Liverpool in a real game for a trophy," he said, with Seattle's place in the tournament secure. "I feel like a little kid. This is the stuff you dream of."

The Sounders had already won two MLS Cups, a Supporters' Shield and four U.S. Open Cups, but this victory takes the club to another level entirely.

"I think we're going to become a global club now," the GM added.

"I've got to think my phone's got to start ringing once some people see what our fanbase, our building... it's as good a soccer environment as anywhere in the world. It just is. This is a pretty special place."

Page 3 of 6
© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.