Brilliant Barcelona Are World Champions Again After Stemming the River Tide

Barcelona became the first club team to become world champions on three occasions after their class eventually told against Copa Libertadores winners River Plate on Sunday.

In the opening exchanges, the Argentinians were more than a match for their European counterparts, and the more physical nature of their natural game was at odds with Barca's smooth transitions.

As early as the third minute, the Blaugrana were served notice as to the battle they were about to face, a theme that continued throughout this Club World Cup final.

Indeed, by half-time, River had already committed 16 fouls on their opponents. 

Shuji Kajiyama Shuji/Associated Press

Such a manner of play from the South Americans can't have been entirely unexpected, but the ferocity of the early tackles upset Barca's players and management on numerous occasions.

The match official, Alireza Faghani, might well look back at his own performance in the opening 45 minutes and perhaps admit he could've done more to ensure over-the-top challenges were kept to a minimum.

In any event, over the course of the 90 minutes, there was only ever going to be one winner.

The manner of Barcelona's eventual triumph against such tough and resilient opponents merely underscores their right to be called the world's best.

It was a wonderful showing in Japan, and the 3-0 score flattered their opposition in the end.

As so often throughout the calendar year, the triple threat of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez was at the fore and the difference between the sides.

Eugene Hoshiko/Associated Press

With all three fit and firing, Luis Enrique will be hopeful of a continuation of the stunning form they have shown in abundance.

Per the BarcaStat Twitter account, MSN have scored a preposterous 142 goals between them in 2015, with a match against Real Betis still to come before the end of the year.

Their total is a huge portion of the 176 Barca have scored overall, their best-ever haul, and he has contributed massively to 50 wins in the year, another club record.

It seems a lifetime ago that many were even questioning the wisdom of hiring Luis Enrique as first-team manager. Ben Hayward of Goal was just one to ask:

"

'The biggest risk we can take is to not take risks,' Pep Guardiola once said. Barcelona took a chance on the Catalan coach back in 2008 and it paid off handsomely.

Six years on and the Blaugrana have now done something similar by appointing Luis Enrique to replace Gerardo Martino this summer. But is it the right risk?

"

Enrique has answered the doubters emphatically, and how the manager must look back wistfully upon a shambolic display at the New San Mames against Athletic Club in August, which cost Barca the chance of a second sextuple.

Other than that result, and the stunning capitulation at Balaidos against Celta Vigo in September, there has been little more to reproach the Blaugrana for.

Although they are one trophy worse off than Guardiola's 2009 vintage, there is every reason to think this team might be better and arguably go on to surpass the incredible successes the former enjoyed.

The one common thread in both is Messi.

KAZUHIRO NOGI/Getty Images

His goal against River made him joint-top scorer in the competition, the only player to score in three different finals and the first player in history to score in seven separate competitions in a calendar year.

"

WORLD RECORD! Messi is the first player in football history to score in 7 official competitions in a calendar year [via @barcastat]

— MESSISTATS (@MessiStats) December 20, 2015"

Age is most definitely not wearying him at this stage and an unprecedented fifth Ballon d'Or should be a foregone conclusion in January.

Neymar could well feel aggrieved if he doesn't pick up the award given the way in which he took on board the responsibility in Messi's absence, and Suarez's omission from the top three is nothing short of ridiculous.

While those three will continue to oil the wheels in an attacking sense, a debt of gratitude must be handed to both Dani Alves and Gerard Pique.

The right-back was again instrumental, and the centre-back won every single challenge he had in the final and is absolutely back to his best.

The team to beat in 2016? Almost certainly.