Manchester City secured their maiden Club World Cup title, capping off 2023 with an impressive total of five trophies following a decisive 4-0 triumph over Fluminense in Jeddah last Friday.
The outcome, affirming European clubs’ reign in the competition since 2012, became evident early on when Julian Alvarez found the net within the opening minute. Any hopes of an upset for Fluminense were realistically dashed with Nino’s first-half own goal, and the contest was sealed in the final 20 minutes as Phil Foden and Alvarez contributed to City’s commanding victory.
Despite City’s inconsistent Premier League form prior to their journey to Saudi Arabia, Fluminense’s optimism of exploiting vulnerabilities in Pep Guardiola’s squad faded. The widening gap between Europe’s top clubs and the global football landscape, driven by substantial financial disparities, was glaringly exposed.
The Club World Cup has now witnessed European clubs clinching victory in 22 consecutive matches, emphasizing their dominance. In the semi-final, City faced a challenge against Japan’s Urawa Reds, laboring for 45 minutes before securing a 3-0 win. However, in the final, they needed a mere 45 seconds to establish their superiority.
Fluminense’s experienced lineup navigated a tough semi-final against African champions Al Ahly, but a critical error from former Real Madrid captain Marcelo, who surrendered possession to Nathan Ake with an errant pass, paved the way for Alvarez’s early goal.
At just 23 years old, Alvarez added to his impressive collection of silverware, which includes the World Cup and Copa America with Argentina, the Copa Libertadores during his tenure at River Plate, and a slew of domestic and international honors attained in just over a year with City, encompassing the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and UEFA Super Cup medals.
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