South American football once again ran into an old barrier. Flamengo’s defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, on penalties, in the final of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup in Qatar, maintained Europe’s dominance in club world competitions.

With PSG’s title, Europe reached 38 trophies, combining the Intercontinental Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup, against South America’s 26. The gap, now at 12 titles, reflects an inequality that grew stronger in the 21st century, especially after the tournament was consolidated under FIFA’s format.

The 1–1 score in regular time and extra time took the decision to penalties, where the French side counted on a show from goalkeeper Safonov, who saved four shots. The defeat ended Flamengo’s dream, as the club was chasing its second title and the end of Europe’s dominance.

The last South American title

Flamengo’s defeat marked the 13th consecutive loss by South American clubs in finals since 2013. The competitive performances were not enough to change the recent history of the competition.

The last time a South American club managed to put the world at its feet was in 2012. On that occasion, Corinthians, under Tite’s command, delivered a true reality check to the powerful Chelsea (ENG) in Yokohama, Japan, winning 1–0 with a goal from the Peruvian Paolo Guerrero.

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Since then, Europeans such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, and now PSG have dominated the tournament.

Failure before facing Europeans

Beyond defeats in the finals, recent history shows that, in some editions, South American clubs did not even reach the Club World Cup final.

In 2010, Internacional were eliminated in the semifinal by TP Mazembe, from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Three years later, in 2013, Atlético-MG fell to Raja Casablanca, from Morocco, also in the semifinal. And in 2024, Botafogo were beaten by Pachuca, from Mexico, and missed out on the final.

These episodes reinforce that the South American struggle is not limited only to the direct clash against Europeans in the final.

When the balance was left behind

The history of the matchup between the champions of South America and Europe, which officially began in 1960 with the Intercontinental Cup, was not always unbalanced.

In the early decades, the duel was fierce and, at times, favorable to the South Americans (Brazilians, Argentines, and Uruguayans), who had greater power to retain talent and a tradition of grit combined with a technical quality that held off the Europeans.

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Clubs such as Pelé’s Santos, Peñarol, Nacional, Independiente, Boca Juniors, and Flamengo (in 1981) matched or surpassed their rivals from the Old Continent. The home-field factor (matches were played home and away until 1979) and the South Americans’ maximum motivation, as they saw the competition as the peak of the season, also played a role.

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The scenario began to change drastically with increasing globalization and the implementation of the Bosman Law in Europe in 1995.

And, in this way, European football transformed into a money-making machine, centralizing resources and, consequently, the best players on the planet. The major Brazilian and Argentine clubs became factories of talent for foreign leagues, unable to keep their young players for long.

A gap that tends to grow

In the Intercontinental format, which ended in 2004, the record was more balanced. However, with FIFA’s endorsement from the 2000s onward, and with the financial gulf widening, Europe’s advantage became overwhelming.

PSG’s title confirmed European favoritism, even though the decision came down to the details. For CONMEBOL, the scenario remains a structural challenge. As long as the financial difference persists, the world title for South American clubs will continue to be an exception, growing more distant with time.

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