Manchester City were named the best team in the 2023 Club World Cup by defeating Fluminense (4-0), capping a dream year with five titles in their pocket.
A goal from Julián Álvarez, also world champion with the Albiceleste, when only 40 seconds had passed since the first whistle, and those from Nino in an own goal (27th), Phil Foden (72nd) and again Álvarez (88th). ) were enough for Manchester City to win the Champions League, the Premier League, the FA Cup and the European Super Cup as well as the Club World Cup, which was won this year by “Pep” Guardiola’s team.
In doing so, City retained the World Cup title for the European representative in the most recent edition of the tournament in the format in which it had been played continuously since 2005 before switching to a quadrennial competition with 32 teams in 2025. Guardiola, for his part, won an unprecedented fourth private title in the “Mundialito” with a third different team, after successes with FC Barcelona (2009 and 2011) and Bayern Munich (2013).
YOU CAN SEE: Felipe Melo and Kyle Walker clashed after the Club World Cup final
A poor save from Marcelo reached Dutchman Nathan Aké, whose left-footed long-range shot hit the post, and the alert 23-year-old Argentine lunged to finish with his chest and open the scoring against the inferior goalkeeper Fábio.
The dominance of the English team was shown again in the 27th minute when Brazilian central defender Nino fended off a low pass towards his goal from Phil Foden, who had found a corridor towards the penalty area thanks to a visionary delivery from Spaniard Rodri. Foden himself, assisted by a cross from Álvarez, sealed the game (72nd) before a brace (88th) from Álvarez, who fired a cross into the penalty area, lifting the Sky Blues into the air and leaving Fluzao, and thus American football expanded south, without the title it has sought since Corinthians won in 2012
Did you know…
Forgive. Colombian Jhon Arias won the Bronze Ball 🥉 of the Club World Cup. He was voted the third best player in the competition, behind Rodri and Kyle Walker. Cheers!