Real Madrid pass Barcelona for most international trophies record

Real Madrid now have 23 international trophies, more than any other club in the world. The Merengues beat Kashima Antlers, 4-2, in Sunday's Club World Cup final to capture their record trophy.

Holding the world record for international trophies is sweet enough as is, but this one was extra special for the Merengues because they leapt ahead of Barcelona. Any trophy is great, but a record one is ever better and getting ahead of your fiercest rivals is just perfect.

Real Madrid's 23 international trophies come across six competitions. Their 11 Champions League titles make up nearly half of the honors, and is a record for that tournament, but they also have three UEFA Super Cups, two UEFA Cups and two titles in the now-defunct Latin Cup. That accounts for 18 trophies in European competition, and then they have three Intercontinental Cups and two Club World Cups.

Their run to catch and surpass Barcelona for the record has been pretty swift. They won the Champions League in May, then the Super Cup in August and, finally, the Club World Cup on Sunday. That gives them three international trophies in seven months.

These records are obviously a bit contorted. The Latin Cup doesn't exist anymore, while the Super Cup is a glorified friendly and even the Intercontinental Cup and Club World Cup have had trouble gaining traction. But they're all trophies to put in Real Madrid's gigantic trophy case and no club has ever turned down a trophy, or an international record.