Lionel Messi Scores as FC Barcelona Beat River Plate to Win FIFA Club World Cup
FC Barcelona welcomed back both Lionel Messi and Neymar after the duo had missed the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final against Guangzhou Evergrande.
Lionel Messi fired FC Barcelona to their third FIFA Club World Cup title on Sunday with a disputed opening goal as the European champions beat South American champions River Plate 3-0 in the final. (Lionel Messi-Less FC Barcelona Reach FIFA Club World Cup Final)
The Spanish giants welcomed back Messi after a bout of kidney stones and the mercurial Argentine scored with a clinical finish on 36 minutes, before a lethal Luis Suarez double destroyed River's hopes. (FC Barcelona Draw Arsenal in UEFA Champions League last 16)
"We came here to win the title and it was important to get the job done," said Suarez. (Paris Saint-Germain Have Financial Capability to Sign Lionel Messi: Angel di Maria)
"We stayed calm and played our game until Leo scored the first goal. More than my goals, it was just important to get our hands on the trophy."
Neymar, himself returning to the side after a groin strain, was instrumental in Barcelona's opener, climbing to knock down a Dani Alves cross for Messi to steer past River goalkeeper Marcelo Barovero with a deft flick of his left boot.
Suarez, who scored a hat-trick in Barca's 3-0 semi-final win over Guangzhou Evergrande, scored a second with a fierce low drive four minutes into the second half.
The former Liverpool striker grabbed his fifth goal in Japan when he guided a thumping header past a beleaguered Barovero after a pinpoint cross from Neymar.
Barca goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was a spectator for much of the game on a cold night. But the Chilean made an acrobatic save from a shot by River substitute Gonzalo Martinez seven minutes from time to deny the South Americans a consolation goal.
Messi, who forced a smart save from Barovero in the early skirmishes and could himself have finished with a hat-trick, became the first player to score in three finals after leading Barca to victory in 2009 and 2011.
"Messi and Neymar wanted to play in the final, no matter what," said Suarez. "It shows the sacrifice that there is in the group that they did everything to play."
Barcelona added the world title to a host of other titles they have collected this year -- the Champions League, Spain's La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the European Super Cup.