Germans at the Club World Cup

It was just too cold for the Brazilians. Bayern Munich won their home leg in November 1976 against Cruzeiro 2-0. Snow at the Olympiastadion did not help the visitors. Back in Belo Horizonte the second leg ended 0-0, giving Bayern their first Intercontinental Cup title. Bayern had won the European Cup in 1974, 1975 and 1976 but did not play in the "world championship" game in 1974 and 1975.

Next it was Borussia Mönchengladbach's turn to play in the Intercontinental Cup as European Cup runners-up. Winners Liverpool had opted out. In the first leg in March 1978, captain Berti Vogts and his side managed a 2-2 draw at the "La Bombonera" cauldron. The second leg had to take place in Karlsruhe and so felt like another away game for Gladbach. Argentina's Boca won 3-0 to take the title.

Hamburg entered the 1983 edition as European champions but the format had changed. In a one-off game in Japan, the Germans went behind to the Brazilians but leveled late on. Brazil international Renato Portaluppi (Gaucho) grabbed the winner in extra-time for Gremio, his second of the game. He is now coach of the Porto Alegre side.

Some 14 years later and Borussia Dortmund finally gave Germany a second win in the competition. They beat Cruzeiro 2-0 in Tokyo thanks to goals from current sporting director Michael Zorc and Heiko Herrlich, now coach of Augsburg. The Brazilians had been the same opponents when Bayern triumphed in 1976.

A tough encounter went into extra-time where Bayern prevailed 1-0 over Boca Juniors. Bayern took the game seriously with top stars such as Oliver Kahn, Giovane Elber and Bixente Lizarazu in the lineup. It was Bayern's second win in the tournament but a first as coach for Ottmar Hitzfeld. He had moved upstairs at Dortmund months before their 1997 success.

By the time Bayern sealed the 2013 title, the tournament had morphed into the Club World Cup and it was more than just one tie. The UEFA Champions League winners beat Asian champions Guangzhou Evergrande 3-0 in the semifinal. The Germans defeated Raja Casablanca 2-0 in the final in Morocco with Dante (r) and Thiago Alcantara netting the goals.

Toni Kroos has won the club world title five times, a German record. The midfielder has picked up the trophy four times with Real Madrid (2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018). His first triumph was with Bayern in 2013.

Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp became the first German coach to win the world club title with a team outside of Germany. The Reds lifted the trophy in 2019, beating Brazil's Flamengo 1-0 in extra-time in the final.