And as Barcelona's name was carved on the giant trophy at the final whistle, with the celebrations of the Catalan fans a sharp contrast to the subdued Manchester United supporters, there was no doubting their right to claim Europe's elite trophy for the third time.

BBC: Barcelona 2-0 Man Utd

Can the famous combination of quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick work their magic again to claim a fifth Vince Lombardi Trophy for the Patriots?

CNN: Super Bowl XLVI as it happened

The victory saw Alan McDonald claim his first trophy as Glentoran manager.

BBC: Ryan Berry scored Glentoran's second goal in the final

Liverpool could yet claim a second trophy this season, with the club facing an FA Cup quarterfinal tie against Stoke City on March 18.

CNN: Can dramatic cup success revive Liverpool's fortunes?

For despite winning the 1995 FIFA World Youth Cup and the 2008 Olympic Games with Argentina, Messi has yet to go past the quarterfinals of the World Cup -- and many commentators believe he needs to win that trophy if he is to lay claim to being the greatest footballer the world has ever seen.

CNN: Messi joins Xavi and Puyol in agreeing new Barcelona deals

"The ICC Champions Trophy is an opportunity for the England One-Day side to compete for a global trophy and we are confident we have the talent to make a strong claim, " he said.

BBC: Pietersen named in Trophy squad

Many Nigerians often claim that Kanu is Africa's most decorated footballer, with his trophy cabinet displaying medals for the Champions League, Uefa Cup, Olympic Games, six domestic championships (including two Premier League titles) as well as three FA Cups.

BBC: Eto'o the Great