Manchester City have been crowned Club World Cup champions for the first time in their history after a commanding 4-0 victory over Brazilian side Fluminense in Jeddah. The triumph marks the culmination of a stellar year for Pep Guardiola's side, who have now added global silverware to their Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League titles.
England international Phil Foden was instrumental in the win, scoring City's second goal and setting up another for Julian Alvarez. The 23-year-old's performance underlined his growing influence in Guardiola's star-studded squad.
Foden's Moment of Magic
The breakthrough came in fortuitous circumstances when Nathan Ake's long-range strike deflected off Fluminense defender Nino and into the net after just 40 seconds - the fastest goal in Club World Cup final history. Foden doubled the advantage before half-time with a clinical finish after being played through by Rodri.
City's dominance continued after the break as Alvarez scored twice, with Foden providing the assist for his second. The comprehensive victory means City become the fourth English club to win the competition after Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.
Guardiola's Historic Achievement
The win makes Pep Guardiola the first manager to win the Club World Cup with three different clubs, having previously triumphed with Barcelona and Bayern Munich. The Spanish tactician praised his team's professionalism in seeing out the match despite the early lead.
"To win this trophy means you are the best team in the world," Guardiola said. "The players understood the importance of this game and approached it with the right mentality. Now we can say we've won every possible trophy."
The victory caps an extraordinary 2023 for Manchester City, who have established themselves as the dominant force in world football. With young stars like Foden at the heart of their success, the future looks bright for the Citizens as they aim to build on this historic achievement.
