Club World Cup - South America Continues to

DominateBy: Copaamerica2015s.com

International became a second Brazilian side in a row to emerge triumphant from FIFA's Club World Cup after beating European and Spanish Champions Barcelona 1-0 in Yokohama.

South America extended a historical advantage over their European counterparts with 25 victories compared to Europe's 21 in the different forms the competition has taken over the years.

So proof then that South American club football is better than European? Actually, no. Watch Copa America 2015. This game was arguably International's biggest in their history.

They are not giants of the Brazilian game but a solid and (by South American standards) well organized club who use relatively few managers and have a sensible transfer policy.

In short they are a well run club in a league rife with corruption and managerial changes.

With just three Brazilian championships to their name, this season's double of the Copa Libertadores and Club World Cup has been the most successful in the Porto Alegre club's history. By beating the team of Ronaldinho made the victory all the sweeter - the Barca star made his name at Inter's fierce rivals Gremio.

But to suggest that the success of Latin American sides in the competition means that they have a similar standard of domestic football to Europe is fallible.

For the South American club's players, it is a chance to put one over a side with much higher profiles and higher salaries - the incentive is huge.

For the European's it is yet another unwanted game in the middle of an already overcrowded fixture list.

South America, in particular Argentina and Brazil, without question produce the largest number of top class players of any nation in the world but as has been seen over recent years the overwhelming majority ply their trade in Europe.

One example is the Argentinian pair Lucas Biglia and Nicolas Frutos joining Anderlecht, who finished bottom of the weakest Champions League Group and trail Genk in the Jupiter League in Belgium (which is a far weaker standard than the Dutch Eeredivisie, let alone the major European Leagues).

So if these players are willing to trade Argentina for Belgium what hope do the South American club's have when a major Spanish or Italian side comes waving the cash?

This week it was announced that Real Madrid are to sign River Plate's 19 year old forward Gonzalo Higuain after less than 50 appearances in Argentina's top flight.

He will join fellow teenager's Sergio Aguero and Marcelo in Spain's capital - if players are leaving South America so young, what standard of players are going to be left on the continent?

The truth is that South American League's are full of players that are either not deemed good enough to move to Europe or have played in Europe and moved back either because they failed in Europe or for personal reasons.

The Brazil squad in the World Cup contained just three players (Rogerio Ceni, Mineiro and Ricardinho - who has since move to Besiktas) who played in Brazil.

For Argentina, a handful played in South America (Abbondanzieri, Tevez and Mascherano have since moved to Europe) while Palacio and Ustari surely will at some stage in the future.

So although they are the greatest this link producers of football talent, the South American domestic championships are full of poorly run club's who simply cannot afford to compete with their European adversaries.

The leagues are of a much poorer standard than Europe - sad but undoubtedly true.

The BBC South American correspondent Tim Vickery, who lives and works in South America and loves the skill and passion of Latin American football, was quoted recently on the subject, "In today's globalised world it is simply not enough for a player to prove his greatness without succeeding in European club football."

So for a player to be considered of real class in South America, he must first prove himself on the European stage.

Internacional's heroes will now go back to Brazil to celebrate (and most probably pray for a call from one of Europe's major players) while for defeated Barca it is back to the important business of retaining La Liga and the Champions League.

THANK YOUCREDIT: Copaamerica2015s.com