4:0! The little spider doubled Manchester City's five-time champion and added a number of records to the first person to be crowned by Gua Shuai
After beating AFC Champions League winners Urawa Red Diamonds, Manchester City finally ushered in the club's first Club World Cup final, and the blue moon was in front of the Copa Libertadores champion: Fluminense. Pep Guardiola didn't come too far as Alvarez scored with a brace and Foden also netted as City swept past Fluminense 4-0 to win the fifth crown of the year.
Fluminense knocked out African champions Cairo National in the semi-finals to reach the final, and like Manchester City, they were playing in the Club World Cup final for the first time. Manchester City is still suffering from injuries, with Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland and Doku continuing to be absent, Alvarez, Bench B and Foden forming an attacking line, Rodri and Lewis in midfield, Walker, Ake, Stones and Dias in the backline, and Ederson in goal.
With the referee's whistle, City got off to a dream start, and just 40 seconds into the game, Ake held the ball and advanced to the front of the field to shoot from distance, hitting the post, and Alvarez, who was ambushed in front of goal, dived over the top to shoot into the net, 1:0! The goal was set 40 seconds into the game, which allowed Alvarez to set a new record - he scored the fastest goal in the history of the Club World Cup.
The previous record was set in the quarter-finals of the 2018 Club World Cup, when Ain defender Mohamed Ahmed scored a goal in the 78th second against Tunisia Hope, and even when that was extended to the Intercontinental Cup, which preceded the creation of the Club World Cup, Alvarez scored the fastest. And Alvarez also became the first player to score in the Premier League, Community Shield, FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Champions League.
In the 12th minute, Kaino's long-range shot from outside the box went over the crossbar, and in the 15th minute, Kaino was knocked to the ground by the attacking Ederson when he stepped into the penalty area to form a single knife, and the referee blew the whistle immediately, but he blew for Kaino offside, not Ederson's foul. In the 27th minute, Manchester City made a comeback, Rodri sent a lethal through stopper, Foden stepped forward to cross to the left side of the penalty area, Nino fell to the ground and wanted to clear the siege but accidentally blocked the ball directly into his own door, 2:0!
In the 42nd minute, Grealish used his personal ability to cut inside on the left and his long-range shot was saved sideways by Fabio, and although Manchester City did not have many chances in the first half, the victory was a high conversion rate, and they entered the dressing room with a two-goal advantage.
In the 48th minute, Grealish knocked back on the left, Foden hit the goal directly in front of the penalty line, Fabio blocked sideways, and the supplementary shot of the B seat was confiscated by Fabio; In the 72nd minute, Alvarez led the ball into the penalty area and crossed, Foden outflanked the shovel in front of the goal and shot into the net, 3:0! Seeing that the victory was locked in advance, Guardiola also made early substitution adjustments, Rodri and Stones were withdrawn by Gvardiol and Akanji; In the 88th minute, Nunes knocked back the triangle on the right, and Alvarez followed up and shot into the net to complete the brace, 4:0!
After winning the Club World Cup, Manchester City were crowned five champions of the year and set a number of records. First up is Manchester City's victory, and they will become the fourth English team to win the Club World Cup after Manchester United (2008), Liverpool (2019) and Chelsea (2021), and the first English team to win the tournament on their first appearance.
Second, Pep Guardiola became the first manager to lead three different teams to win the Club World Cup, and third: Guardiola won the Club World Cup for the fourth time, surpassing Carlo Ancelotti to become the only player in football. Fourth: Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic became the first player in history to win the Club World Cup for three different teams.
European teams have won 10 consecutive Club World Cups in the last decade, last losing the title in 2012, and in 2025, the Club World Cup will be reformed with 32 teams, making it even more difficult and more expensive to win the title.