Barcelona: Claudio Bravo; Dani Alves, Piqué, Mascherano (Vermaelen 80’), Jordi Alba; Rakitic (Sergi Roberto 67’), Busquets, Iniesta; Messi, Luis Suárez, Neymar (Mathieu 89‘). 4-3-3.
River Plate: Barovero; Mercado, Maidana, Balanta, Vangioni; Kranevittter; Carlos Sánchez, Viudez (Driussi 55’), Ponzio (Lucho González 46’); Mora (Gonzalo Martínez 46‘), Alario. 4-1-3-2.
Goals:
1-0. 39. Messi. Poked shot past Barovero after Neymar headed back Alves cross.
2-0. 50. Luis Suárez. Ran on to long Busquets pass and fired shot under keeper.
3-0. 67. Luis Suárez. Came from behind to head past keeper from Neymar centre.
Barcelona are World Champions for the third time after they beat River Plate 3-0 in this year’s final in Japan! Luis Enrique was able to put out a full strength line-up after Messi and Neymar recovered from their respective problems, and Messi tested Barovero a couple of times before he opened the scoring with ten minutes to go to the break, poking a shot past the keeper after Neymar headed back a Dani Alves cross. Luis Suárez drove a shot wide when free on goal just before the interval, but four minutes after the restart he ran on to a long ball from Busquets to fire a shot under the keeper for the second. That broke River’s resistence, and Messi and Neymar went close before Suárez ghosted in behind the defence to head Neymar’s cross back across the keeper, his second of the day and his fifth in the tournament. Backed by a fanatical following though the Argentinians didn’t give up, and Bravo had to make late saves from Alario and Martínez to stop them from getting back in the match. But for the second year in a row the World champions are Spanish, and Barcelona take over the mantle from arch rivals Real Madrid.