The 2011 FIFA Club World Cup final was the final match of the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup, an association football tournament hosted by Japan. It was the eighth final of the FIFA Club World Cup, a FIFA-organized tournament between the winners of the six continental confederations as well as the host nation's league champions.
The match was billed as a showdown between Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and the 19-year-old Santos forward Neymar, who would later go on to become Messi's teammate at both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.[6] Messi won the "duel" by scoring two goals in the final and being named man of the match as well as player of the tournament.[7][8]
Barcelona forward David Villa missed the final after he broke his shinbone in the semi-final victory over Al-Sadd.[9] He was injured six minutes before half-time after appearing to land awkwardly; Barcelona announced after the match that he had suffered a "fracture to the tibia in his left leg" that could see him sidelined for four to five months.[10]
Match
Summary
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi in action during the second half
In the first half, Barcelona were extremely dominant.[11] Messi and Thiago forced saves from Santos goalkeeper Rafael Cabral in the 12th minute.[12] Messi then scored with a chip over Cabral in the 17th minute.[12] Seven minutes later, Xavi scored a second with a strike from just inside the penalty area.[11] Santos came back with a short-range effort by Borges that was saved by Barcelona 'keeper Víctor Valdés, before Cesc Fàbregas hit the post two minutes later and then scored Barcelona's third goal just before the half ended.[12]
In the second half, Santos improved[7] and teenage star Neymar finally had a chance for Santos in the 57th minute when he was one-on-one with Valdés, but the shot was saved.[12] Barcelona's Dani Alves hit the post in the 79th minute, before Messi rounded the goalkeeper in the 82nd minute to cap the scoring with his second goal.[12]
^ abcdefghi"Match Report"(PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2 April 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
