Manchester City secures fifth title of 2023 with dominant victory over Fluminense in Club World Cup final
Manchester City extended their remarkable trophy-winning streak by claiming their fifth title of the year with a convincing 4-0 victory over Fluminense in the Club World Cup final. The match, held on Friday, saw City assert their dominance early on, taking the lead just 40 seconds into the game. The opening goal came from Julian Alvarez, who expertly met a rebound off the post from Nathan Ake’s shot. Fluminense struggled to mount a comeback throughout the match, with City sealing their win with goals from an own goal by Fluminense captain Nino, Phil Foden, and another strike from Alvarez.
City’s triumph not only earned them their first Club World Cup title but also marked Europe’s 16th win out of 17 editions of FIFA’s competition for continental champions. The victory also made Pep Guardiola the first coach to win the Club World Cup with three different teams, having previously claimed titles with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011, as well as Bayern Munich in 2013.
While the on-field action was largely controlled by City, tempers flared after the match, with City captain Kyle Walker confronting Fluminense players, including veteran defender Felipe Melo. Walker’s reaction came in response to rough tackling that had forced key midfielder Rodri off the field with an injury earlier in the game. Rodri, despite his injury, later participated in the trophy celebrations and was recognized as the best player of the tournament.
Missing star players Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne due to injury, City displayed their depth and quality by securing a comfortable victory. The absence of the two superstars may have contributed to the approximately 4,000 empty seats among the 52,601 spectators at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium in Jeddah.
Fluminense, whose team featured several players born in the 1980s, took offense to British media drawing attention to their veteran squad. In contrast, City’s oldest player in the starting lineup, Kyle Walker, was born in May 1990. Nonetheless, Fluminense’s most celebrated player, Marcelo, left the pitch after one hour to applause and a handshake from City substitute Mateo Kovacic, who was his former teammate at Real Madrid.
City’s victory capped off a successful tournament for them in Saudi Arabia, following their semifinal win over Urawa Red Diamonds. In the earlier third-place game, African champions Al Ahly of Egypt secured a 4-2 victory against Urawa, the Asian champions from Japan.
Manchester City can now celebrate their fifth trophy of the year, solidifying their status as one of the dominant forces in world football. Their triumph also further establishes their credentials as they continue their quest for more silverware in the coming seasons.