Now tell me it wasn’t a shocker. Internacional’s stunning 1-0 victory over Barcelona in the title game of the FIFA Club World Cup sent a message around the world: Soccer’s balance of power is shifting toward clubs with a greater hunger to succeed.
Inter’s victory may well be the success story of the year if you’re the kind of person who loves giant upsets on the biggest stages. It’s always great to see the top two sides from the world’s two strongest continents battle it out, but particularly when the stakes are so high. South American clubs cherish the opportunity to showcase their skill to the world, especially when it’s at the expense of one of Europe’s most lucrative clubs.
Much of the reason behind the recent success of South American clubs is the outstanding internal quality of its major competitions, the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana. These events have only increased in prominence in recent years, and their exciting formats mean that several different clubs are beginning to inflict pressure on the traditional heavyweights and are coming out on top.
This year was no exception, and no matter your vantage point, the continent has experienced numerous surprises. It all started in August when Internacional hoisted the Copa Libertadores after an amazing run that saw it edge out defending champion São Paulo in the final.
The Porto Alegre-based club hadn’t qualified for the competition in 12 years, but all of a sudden it was sweeping aside the top club in the tournament en route to the title. Inter’s stunner over Ronaldinho‘s Barça last weekend only justified the achievement.
The year of the underdog has seen many South American clubs come back into the spotlight after long periods in mediocrity. Not only in Brazil, but also in Argentina – a country whose league has mostly been dominated by its wealthier clubs. The conclusion of the season provided a shock of the highest magnitudes as cash-strapped Estudiantes de La Plata came from behind to snatch the title away from overwhelming favorite Boca Juniors.
Steered by the determination of manager Diego Simeone and the character of midfielder Juan Sebastián Verón, Estudiantes never threw in the towel. Almost to the finish line of the Apertura championship, it looked unlikely that they would have a chance to catch Boca seeing as there was absolutely no room for error. But Estudiantes did just that — they made no mistakes in recording an impressive 12 victories in 13 matches to draw even with Boca, and then came from a goal down to defeat the two-time defending champs 2-1 in the championship playoff.
But it doesn’t stop there. Last week Pachuca added unprecedented prestige to its league, becoming the first Mexican club to win a major club competition inside South America. Los Tuzos defied all odds as they brushed aside hot favorite Colo-Colo for the Copa Sudamericana crown.
Clearly the balance of power in South American competitions is shifting toward the direction of those clubs that have been starved for recognition in recent years, despite having experienced glorious pasts. The reason: Clubs are beginning to understand that there are several elements that characterize a championship team, with the most important being skill, attitude and determination.
Internacional is the prime example of this rebellion. Not only did the Colorado defeat a star-studded Barcelona side, but they did so with awesome temperament. Inter made history in superb fashion, and although deemed inferior when compared to its imposing opposition, it lived up to the expectations of its massive following back home. Said attacking midfielder Iarley, whose picture-perfect pass led to Luis Adriano‘s late goal, “The matches are won on the field, not with one’s name.”
Inter’s victory once again verified that Brazilian clubs are still the most poised to win these kind of tournaments. Since the first club world championship in 2000, Brazilian clubs have had a tight lock on things. Despite the ongoing exodus of top players to Europe, its clubs continue to succeed, a trend many credit to the wealth of homegrown talent that continues to grow in Brazil.
Mexican clubs don’t have the same ludicrous pipeline Brazil has, which may be part of the reason they’ve never raised a South American trophy until now. Some have come close — Cruz Azul lost in the Libertadores final in ’01 and Chivas reached the semis the past two years, while Pumas lost in the Sudamericana final last year — but for the most part, they’re viewed as a disappointment by South American fans. That all changed last week when Pachuca finally stamped Mexico in the history books.
Fittingly, it wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for the inspiration of Pachuca’s South American players, particularly Argentines Christian Giménez and Damián Álvarez (who scored both Pachuca goals in the deciding second leg last week). They stole the show, and demonstrated that — besides Chivas, which fields only native players — Mexican clubs hugely rely on South American talent to overcome difficult opposition.
But more important, Pachuca demonstrated that Mexican clubs have improved enormously over the last few years, and that persistence is the key for them to keep on developing as they look to continue to make progress in top South American competitions.
The past year soccer was turned on its ear in South America, as clubs who haven’t been consistently successful in recent years took center stage. While Estudiantes and Pachuca have proven that fighting spirit can always replace quality, Internacional went a further step to outline the main concept behind winning a major title. The Brazilians not only reaffirmed that determination is still a defining factor in the game, but also a quality that can get the best out of any club.
Gregory Sica
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