Manchester City, on Friday night, won the Club World Cup for the first time to end 2023 with five trophies after a 4-0 win over Fluminense in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
City’s victory extended European clubs’ domination of the competition since 2012 and was never in doubt once Julian Alvarez opened the scoring inside the first minute.
Nino’s first-half own goal realistically ended the Brazilians’ dreams of an upset, before Phil Foden and Alvarez rounded off the scoring in the final 20 minutes.
After clinching the treble of the club’s first ever Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup last season, City also lifted the UEFA Super Cup for the first time in August.
Pep Guardiola also made history as the first coach to lift the Club World Cup on four occasions and with three different clubs after previously winning the competition twice at Barcelona and once in charge of Bayern Munich.
Speaking after the game, Guardiola said: “To win the treble was truly special, but to win two more trophies and now hold these five major titles shows the unique mentality of this team.
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“As a manager, it is what I am most proud of – that we are always there. No matter how much we win, no matter what trophies we lift, we are there again to fight for the next one.”
City’s poor Premier League form before flying out to Saudi Arabia had raised Fluminense hopes that Guardiola’s men could be vulnerable.
But the growing chasm between Europe’s elite clubs and the rest of the world thanks to huge financial imbalances in the global game was instead exposed.
European clubs have won 22 consecutive games at the Club World Cup.
Rodri was however forced off with an injury 20 minutes from time. City have lost all three Premier League games this season when the influential Spanish midfielder has been absent and they travel to in-form Everton on December 27.
The Spaniard, speaking after the game, said despite initial fears over a serious injury, he is fine to play Everton.
He said: “I was very lucky today, to be honest – I think it was one of the worst tackles they have done in my career.
“I was so scared because I felt my knee but fortunately it was nothing. I said to the player you cannot do these type of things.
“Today (Friday), I won more than a trophy. I go home safe. To be honest I felt very close to crying because I felt worried about what happened. I have pain, because it was dramatic the way it goes. But nothing affects me.”
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