TheCable

Liverpool FC beat Flamengo of Brazil to become world champions for the first time in their 127-year history.

Jürgen Klopp’s men clinched the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup trophy after pipping Copa Libertadores winners 1-0 in extra time at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha, Qatar on Saturday evening.

Liverpool qualified for the FIFA’s competition which consists of the best top clubs from all six confederations after winning the 2018/2019 Uefa champions League trophy in June.

The English side became champion after their fourth attempt to conquer the globe, following defeats in 1981 (against same Flamengo), 1984 and 2005.

The first 45-minute saw an excellent game between the two sides and Liverpool with a couple of near misses in the early few minutes of play.

The German gaffer compared the achievement of lifting the Club World Cup to Neil Armstrong, US astronaut, landing on the moon for the first time in 1969.

“I don’t know how you approach something that has never been done before, like landing on the moon,” Klopp said before the final.

After 90 minutes of no goals, the match went into extra time of play.

Roberto Firmino broke the deadlock in the 99th minute of play to become the first Liverpool player to score in a FIFA Club World Cup final.

With Liverpool’s victory, Klopp became the first German coach ever to lift the FIFA Club World Cup trophy in its current format (since 2005).

The only other German managers to win the tournament in any of its guises are Dettmar Cramer (1976) and Ottmar Hitzfeld (2001) – both with Bayern Munich.

European teams have won each of the last six finals (and 11 of the last 12) since Corinthians beat Chelsea 1-0 in 2012.