FIFA Club World Cup: History, past winners and top-scorers

The FIFA Club World Cup is upon us, with the tournament set to start on 14th June 2025. The Supporters’ Shield winners from the United States of America, Inter Miami are all set to play against Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium in the inaugural game. While this has been an annual affair, the tournament has gained a lot of traction in recent times due to multiple factors. 

The revamped tournament will be played once in four years and is set to have limited clubs from a single country. The cutoff criteria are so high that only Manchester City and Chelsea made it to the tournament from England, whereas only Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid represent La Liga. 

The tournament provides a great spectacle for the fans during the pre-season break. 

Who has won the FIFA Club World Cup most times?

The FIFA Club World Cup was launched in 2000 to determine the best football club in the world, effectively replacing the Intercontinental Cup. The inaugural tournament featured eight teams from different confederations around the globe. Since then, the competition has evolved significantly. What began as a tournament with six confederations has expanded to include representatives from all global federations. 

When it comes to success in the competition, Real Madrid stands out as the most decorated club in FIFA Club World Cup history. Los Blancos have lifted the trophy five times, including a dominant spell in the late 2010s when they won three consecutive titles from 2016 to 2018, before securing their most recent title in 2022. This success reflects the club’s broader dominance in Europe, where they have claimed four of the last five UEFA Champions League titles. 

European clubs have maintained a stronghold on the competition, winning it an additional eleven times. Barcelona has claimed the title three times, while Bayern Munich has secured two victories. Other notable winners include Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, AC Milan, and Inter Milan, each of whom has lifted the trophy at least once. In the early editions of the tournament, South American clubs made their mark. 

The inaugural final featured Vasco da Gama and Corinthians, with the latter emerging as champions. Brazilian sides Corinthians and São Paulo won two of the first five editions. However, aside from Corinthians, no non-European club has been able to consistently challenge the dominance of European teams in recent years.

Continental Representation of the teams across the globe

The tournament has seen domination by European clubs in the recent past due to their financial resources and evolved tactics. However, South American clubs have always punched above their weight, with the clubs being successful in leveraging their technical skills and passionate fan support. On the other hand, Asian, African, and North American clubs are yet to claim the prize. The revamp allows a greater geographical representation of the distant regions, reshaping the landscape of the tournament.

Who are the record goalscorers in the FIFA Club World Cup?

Cristiano Ronaldo, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, remains the all-time leading goal scorer in the FIFA Club World Cup. The 40-year-old Portuguese forward has netted seven goals in the competition, with four of those coming in the finals. His dominance spans multiple clubs, including Manchester United and Real Madrid. 

Gareth Bale ranks second on the list, with six goals in six appearances during his time with Real Madrid. He is tied with Karim Benzema, who also has six goals from 11 matches, averaging 0.55 goals per 90 minutes. Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi is tied for third place with Luis Suárez, scoring five goals each in the tournament. Former Olympique Lyon star César Delgado also shares this spot with five goals to his name.