After beating Flamengo by 1-0 after extra time, Liverpool have become the seventh different European winners of the FIFA Club World Cup in Doha’s Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar. With Liverpool lifting FIFA’s lesser-regarded Club World Cup trophy on Saturday night, this is the biggest prize in soccer in three years, that will be handed out in a stadium yet to be completed.
Club World Cup 2019
It is the first time Liverpool have won the competition, which features each continent’s champions, and they became only the second English team to lift the trophy after Manchester United in 2008.
Brazilian Firmino drilled home the winner in the ninth minute of extra time to secure victory for Jurgen Klopp’s European champions and Premier League leaders.
Firmino was still inside his own half when captain Jordan Henderson launched the defense-splitting pass that set Liverpool on the path to glory. As Firmino raced through Flamengo territory unchallenged, Sadio Mane held up the ball received from Henderson. When Firmino reached the penalty area, Mane squared to the Brazilian, who took three touches to control the ball past defender Rodrigo Caio before knocking it into the net.
Firmino wins final for Liverpool
After netting the World Cup winner, Firmino raced away in celebration, ripping off his jersey and leaping into the air.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said “Everybody was for different reasons on the edge pretty much but I saw so many sensationally good performances and I’m really happy of course for our supporters. The atmosphere in the stadium was great.”
Firmino also struck in the semifinal victory over Monterrey on Wednesday, giving him two goals in as many games in the Khalifa Stadium, having only netted once in the previous 16 games for Liverpool in all competitions.
“I couldn’t be more happy for him that he could score that goal because … (of) what this competition means to Brazil, to South American people,” Klopp said.
Liverpool are enjoying their best time in their decade, Flamengo coach Jorge Jesus said. “They played a tremendous match and Flamengo were excellent also. We were a match for Liverpool. I’m fully pleased with what Flamengo have done. Brazilian clubs in future will be contenders to European clubs and we have exhibited that today.”
