Manchester City’s tireless title collectors crowned the most successful year in their history with triumph at the Club World Cup. In the final in Jeddah, the favored Champions League winner beat the Brazilian top team Fluminense Rio de Janeiro 4-0 (2-0) and won their fifth title this year.
With high temperatures in Saudi Arabia, world champion Julian Alvarez (1st) ensured a perfect debut for team manager Pep Guardiola’s team with his goal after just a few seconds. Fluminense defender Nino (27th) also scored an own goal. Phil Foden (72nd) and Alvarez again (88th) took away any hope of a comeback for the Brazilians.
“We won’t be holding a parade in Manchester because of this, but I have already told my players that we will remember this triumph forever,” Guardiola said after the game.
ManCity continued their impressive series of European winners at the Club World Cup. For the eleventh time in a row and for the 16th time in total, the triumph went to a team from Europe; in 2012, Corinthians won Sao Paulo, making it the fourth and so far last victory for a team from South America.
Guardiola emphasized: “I feel like we have closed a chapter. The job is done, there is nothing left to gain, it’s over.” In order not to make the sentence sound like a farewell, he added: “Now we’ll buy a new book for Christmas and open a new chapter.”
Fists are in front of the award ceremony
On the way to the award ceremony, however, the mood ran high again! Filipe Melo, who was under contract with Juventus Turin and Galatasaray Istanbul, among others, blew the fuse and pushed Citizens captain Kyle Walker. There was then a scuffle that could only be broken up by the two coaching staffs.
The reason for the argument is said to be Jack Grealish. Melo said after the presentation ceremony: “Today Grealish was disrespectful to the institution of Fluminense and I will never allow that. He shouted ‘Olé’ at the end of the game. This is for the fans, the fans can shout this.”
The 40-year-old, already known as a hothead, continued: “For the idiots who call themselves journalists and have already claimed that I caused trouble: I did not cause trouble, on the contrary, I went to To defend Martinelli, who was cornered. And I would do it again. I am a fighter.”
On X (formerly Twitter), Grealish rejected the Portuguese’s allegations. “I didn’t call Olé once,” wrote the 28-year-old.
Haaland is not allowed to play in the final
Manchester’s triumph was never in danger, even without striker Erling Haaland. Because the Norwegian was not in the squad for the semi-final win against the Urawa Red Diamonds from Japan, he was not allowed to play in the final either.
His representative Alvarez showed that he can be relied on: After Nathan Ake hit the post, the Argentine used the rebound to take the early lead.
That gave the clear favorite from Manchester further self-confidence – but the opponent helped with the next goal. Nino unfortunately deflected a shot from Foden into his own goal, then goalkeeper Ederson prevented the Brazilians from scoring with a strong save shortly before half-time (40th).
Fourth English title winner
The English champions also dictated the action in the second half, but did not push vehemently for the third goal. With the usual amount of ball possession and patience, Guardiola’s team took on the opponent – and then struck again through Foden and Alvarez.
Before the triumph in Jeddah, Manchester had won the English championship, the FA Cup, the European Super Cup and the Champions League. At the Club World Cup, ManCity is now the fourth English title holder after Manchester United, Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC.
At the next edition of the Club World Cup in 2025, the roles will not be as clearly distributed as in the previous format: then there will be 32 teams competing against each other in a group phase and a subsequent knockout round. The German record champions Bayern Munich will also be at the premiere in the USA.
With Sports Information Service (SID)