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Lionel Messi chested the winner as Barcelona beat Estudiantes of Argentina 2-1 after extra time to win the Club World Cup.
Striker Mauro Boselli had put the Libertadores Cup holders ahead in the 37th minute, Pedro equalised in the 89th and Messi struck with 10 minutes remaining in extra time to hand the European champions the world crown for the first time.

The first clear-cut opening fell to the Argentine underdogs in the fifth minute. Juan Sebastian Veron, who was bringing out all his midfield mastery from years gone by, dinked a delightful ball into the path of Enzo Perez, with Victor Valdes coming quick off his line in order to snuff out the opportunity and Carlos Puyol eventually blasting the ball away to safety.

Barca had a golden opportunity to open the scoring through their star playmaker Xavi. Following good link-up play between Dani Alves and Zlatan Ibrahimovic down the Barca right, Xavi found himself in a one-on-one opportunity with Damian Albil in the Estudiantes goal.
However, rather than take on the shot, the Spanish midfielder attempted to play in Thierry Henry who was arriving late from an acute angle. It, inevitably, proved to be the wrong decision and the chance fizzled out to nothing.

Estudiantesfashioned a heart-in-the-mouth moment in the 27th minute for the Barcelona fans, as a corner delivered by Leandro Benitez was not properly dealt with, and Veron let fly from the edge of the penalty area with a shot that went agonisingly wide of Valdes’ far post.

Ballon d’Or winner Messi had been quiet throughout the opening exchanges, and it was to be his team-mate Xavi who would again be involved in another major talking point for Barcelona just past the half-hour mark.

Ibrahimovic again turned provider, hoisting the ball into the Estudiantes penalty area which Xavi chased down, only to be clipped by the on-rushing Albil. The contact appeared slight, but Barcelona had a case for a penalty which was not awarded.

Three minutes later, the breakthrough for Estudiantes came out of nothing. Boselli beat Puyol and Eric Abidal in the air, to power home a pinpoint cross from the left by Enzo Perez and give Estudiantes a lead at half-time which, although their efforts merited, was still something of a surprise.

Barcelona’s players came out with Pep Guardiola’s words still ringing in their ears and, consequently, began the second half with real purpose. Ibrahimovic came the closest with a sweetly-struck left-footed shot that flew just past Albil’s far post. The talented Swede had spotted the gap, and was desperately unlucky in his failed attempt to execute.

However, as the time continued to pass, the frustration continued to mount for Barcelona. When they finally managed to fashion some space to allow for the creative talents of Messi and Xavi, Dan Alves failed to finish off the move. The ball eluding the Brazilian full-back, just after the hour mark, when any sort of meaningful contact would have given Barcelona an equaliser.

The sense of impatience from the Barcelona bench was becoming tangible. Guardiola had sent on Pedro for the disappointing Seydou Keita at the start of the second-half, and he was prepared to freshen up his attacking options once more as Jeffren took the place of Henry down the left-flank.

Immediately, Barcelona looked a different proposition and the South Americans were powerless to prevent a Barcelona equaliser coming with just one minute of normal time remaining.

Xavi chipped the ball into the box, and Gerard Pique managed to get his head to it. The tall centre-back directed the ball into the path of Pedro who calmly lobbed Albil from just a few yards out.

The Catalans started the first-half of extra-time positively and Messi, who had hardly sparked this final alight, smashed the ball wide when played in by Ibrahimovic.

But he was to make amends ten minutes before the end of extra time, when he chested in Alves’ deep cross after ghosting in between Diaz and Cellay with Albil flapping at thin air.

Barcelona had finally taken the lead 110 minutes into the match, and for all Estudiantes’ efforts in fashioning an equaliser – including a glancing header from Boselli which just went the wrong side of the post following a delightful Veron delivery – they were unable to do so.

France's shock exclusion from the top group of seeds for the World Cup increases England's chances of being in a group of death.

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Although Fabio Capello's men have been included among the eight elite teams, they could end up facing the French or Cristiano Ronaldo s Portugal in the first round.

The term 'group of death' was first coined in 1986, when Scotland were drawn with West Germany, Denmark and Uruguay – and duly came bottom.

However, England could face a draw that makes the Scots' challenge look like a walk in the park, with a host of strong sides awaiting including Les Bleus – whose 'hand of frog' goal against Ireland, set up by Thierry Henry s handball, caused a storm of protest.

The eight groups feature one team from each of the four pots, and the huge variation in quality within the pots mean Friday's draw in Cape Town will be absolutely crucial.

As well as France, England could face a USA side that beat Spain en route to this year's Confederations Cup final – Bob Bradley's team are the best in pot 2, which features teams from Asia and Central America.

And a strong Ivory Coast side, starring Didier Drogba, could complete the Group of Death, with pot 3 containing African and South American countries.

Teams from outside pot 1 will be desperate to be grouped with a mediocre South Africa side who, as hosts, are included along with the seven top-ranked nations.

ENGLAND'S GROUP OF DEATH

England

USA

Ivory Coast

France

ENGLAND'S GROUP OF LIFE

England

Algeria

Slovakia

New Zealand

The pots for Friday's World Cup draw to be hosted in Cape Town.

Pot 1 (seeds): South Africa (Group A), Argentina, Brazil, England, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain

Pot 2: Australia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Honduras, Mexico, USA, New Zealand

Pot 3: Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay

Pot 4: Denmark, France, Greece, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland

One team from each pot will be drawn into the eight opening round groups for the tournament from June 11-July 11.

Follow the draw LIVE on uk.eurosport.yahoo.com, with the action getting under way at 16:00 UK time on Friday!

Alex Chick / Eurosport

Oscar winning actress Charlize Theron had some fun at FIFA's expense during a trial run for Friday's World Cup draw when she 'drew' Ireland.

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The South African (pictured), whose long-term boyfriend is Irish actor Stuart Townsend, made the tongue-in-cheek gesture just one day after FIFA rejected Ireland's appeal to be added to the competition as a 33rd team.

The Irish made the request after France's Thierry Henry was clearly seen handling the ball before setting up William Gallas for the winning goal in the play-off between the two sides.

Theron will co-host Friday's draw with FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke, and Valcke confirmed that Theron pulled Ireland instead of France out of the bowl during rehearsal.

"Yes, she did, but it was only a joke," he said.

The 90-minute show will be televised live to an estimated global audience of more than 200 million people in 200 countries.

She will help place the 32 finalists into eight groups of four teams for the tournament which runs from June 11 to July 11.

The show will include an African musical spectacular, including gospel and jazz.

A host of sporting celebrities will also take part in the draw including Ethiopia's Olympic champion runner Haile Gebrselassie, England midfielder David Beckham, South Africa footballer Matthew Booth and cricketer Makhaya Ntini, and the host country's rugby World Cup captain John Smit.

South African president Jacob Zuma will be in the audience along with Nobel Peace prize winners FW de Klerk and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.