Continental Champions
Several international continental tournaments were held to determine berths into the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup.
Most notably, FC Barcelona of Spain's La Liga won the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final against Manchester United of the English Premier League 3–1. The UEFA Champions League is considered by some to be the most preeminent club competition in the World, even more so than the Club World Cup, primarily due to the financial strength of European teams in contrast to clubs in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania.
Elsewhere, the 2011 CONCACAF Champions League Finals was historic in the essence that it was the first final in the modern North American champions league-era not to feature an all-Mexican final. Nevertheless, Monterrey of Mexico's Premiera Division won the 2011 title 3–2 on aggregate over Real Salt Lake of the United States' Major League Soccer. Salt Lake became the first American club to reach a Champions League final, as well as the first American side to reach a top-tier North American club championship since Los Angeles Galaxy in 2000.
New Zealander teams continued their dominance in the OFC Champions League as Auckland City won their second OFC Champions League honor against Amicale of Vanuatu's Premia Divisen.
Al-Sadd of Qatar's Starts League won the 2011 AFC Champions League Final against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors of the Korean K-League 2–2 (4–2 in penalties). Al-Sadd was qualified to the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time after winning its second title in the Asia.
On 6 November, the 2011 CAF Champions League Final will be contested between Wydad Casablanca of Morocco's Botola and Espérance Tunis of Tunisia's CLP-1. The second leg will be contested on 12 November.
Read more about this topic: 2011 In Association Football
Famous quotes containing the word champions:
“While the Governor, and the Mayor, and countless officers of the Commonwealth are at large, the champions of liberty are imprisoned.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)