Credit is given where credit is due. Well done to Pachuca who finally left their mark on the competition in their fourth attempt. I am now calling out CAF for 2018. They still have more final appearances than the AFC, CONCACAF and the OFC combined but look at the results since Raja Casablanca's run to the final in 2013: 2014: Moghreb Tetouan - Auckland City 0:0 AET; 3:4 PEN 2014: ES Setif - Auckland City 0:1 2014: ES Setif - Western Sydney Wanderers 2:2; 5:4 PEN 2015: TP Mazembe - Sanfrecce Hiroshima 0:3 2015: Club America - TP Mazembe 2:1 2016: Mamelodi Sundowns - Kashima Antlers 0:2 2016: Jeonbuk Motors - Mamelodi Sundowns 4:1 2017: CF Pachuca - Wydad Casablanca 1:0 AET 2017: Wydad Casablanca - Urawa Reds 2:3 Nine matches and only one of them had a favorable outcome for the CAF club, ES Setif beating the Wanderers - the worst Asian champion in years. Not. good. enough.
Final Standings: 1. Real Madrid (UEFA) 2. Grêmio FBPA (CONMEBOL) 3. CF Pachuca (CONCACAF) 4. Al Jazira (AFC, Host) 5. Urawa Reds (AFC) 6. Wydad Casablanca (CAF) 7. Auckland City (OFC) "Emerging Confederations" Top Three Placements: AFC (Total 6) 2nd: 2016 3rd: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015 CONCACAF (Total 4) 3rd: 2000, 2005, 2012, 2017 CAF (Total 3) 2nd: 2010, 2013 3rd: 2006 OFC (Total 1) 3rd: 2014 Other Updated Stats: Clubs with Multiple Titles 6 - Real Madrid (ESP) 4 - AC Milan (ITA) 3 - Bayern Munich (GER) 3 - Boca Juniors (ARG) 3 - FC Barcelona (ESP) 3 - Inter Milan (ITA) 3 - Nacional (URU) 3 - Peñarol (URU) 3 - São Paulo (BRA) 2 - Ajax Amsterdam (NED) 2 - Corinthians (BRA) 2 - FC Porto (POR) 2 - Independiente (ARG) 2 - Juventus (ITA) 2 - Manchester United (ENG) 2 - Santos (BRA) Titles by Association 10 - Brazil 10 - Spain 9 - Argentina 9 - Italy 6 - Uruguay 4 - Germany 3 - Netherlands 2 - England 2 - Portugal 1 - Paraguay 1 - Serbia Titles by Confederation 31 - UEFA 26 - CONMEBOL Spain pull even with Brazil and Real Madrid at six club world titles have the kind of cushion that will last for a long, long time - especially if the competition changes frequency going forward.
Btw, I was wrong about Pachuca not having any domestic commitments after the CWC. They played the Copa MX final last night (and lost 1:0 to Monterrey).