Barcelona Are World Club Champions

Barcelona win end 2015 on a very high note after the club clinched its fifth trophy of the year by defeating Argentine club River Plate in a one-sided final.

Lionel Messi returned to Barcelona’s starting line-up for today’s Club World Cup final against River Plate in Yokohama after recovering from a bout of renal colic, the Spanish club said.

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.

Dani Alves found Neymar in the box, and the Brazilian passed the ball to Messi, who got away with a little handball and finally found the opening goal with his left foot.

Former Liverpool favourite Suarez netted a fine brace and Messi the other as Neymar grabbed two assists for his team-mates.

The Uruguayan warned that Barca were still hungry for more success.

Previous winners of the Golden Ball award at the Club World Cup include Franck Ribery, Sergio Ramos and Wayne Rooney, who scored three goals to guide Manchester United to the title back in 2008. “We must stay on the same path, we are the best team in the world”.

“He and Neymar wanted to play the game at any cost, but we should also remember the sacrifice the entire group has made this year”.

An Alario header gave Bravo a rare piece of late action and Martinez rattled the post from range, but Barca’s latest piece of silverware in a remarkable year arrived in unblemished fashion.

“After a competition like this there are always teams that drop off and enter into a bad run, so we must keep going”, Suarez told Telecinco.

“They have the best players and we have a big heart”, said Gallardo, who has been in charge for 18 months.