by It was the chance of a lifetime and Manchester City took it, finishing their week in Saudi Arabia with a second straight win to sit on top of the world and grab the Club World Cup. Perhaps it was fitting that Julián Álvarez, the star of Argentina’s championship run a year ago, started and finished what ended up being a lesson in discipline against Brazilian side Fluminense.
A moment like this may never come again, Pep Guardiola warned; City met him and have now completed the whole house of major trophies that rubber stamp their era of dominance. Álvarez set up Nino’s own goal and Phil Foden’s close-range finish and the only sour note, as City looked to celebrate after full-time, was a strange confrontation on the pitch between players and officials from both sides.
Related: The power shift in football tilts again to Saudi Arabia at the Club World Cup
Copa Libertadores holders Fluminense were bold and refreshing opponents but ultimately nowhere near the same level. City have mastered the sweltering conditions superbly and it is a wonder, in this light, whether the expanded edition of this competition which starts from 2025 is in danger of being transformed into a watered down version of the Champions League. The direction of the sport is a matter of concern, rather than contempt, to point out that European teams have now won 11 straight world titles.
It was a clinical display of football gifts in Saudi Arabia, a venue that invited those paying attention to the future of the sport. This country will host the World Cup 11 years from now; This huge venue, which will be comfortable enough just a short distance from the town, is sure to be one of the venues whose identity is closely guarded by the organizers. It would be stretching things to say that Jeddah hosted a clash but this was an environment that will become known.
If Fluminense were giving City an early opening they certainly wouldn’t have expected it to be Marcelo, back where he started with his aim of winning this competition for the fifth time, giving the invitation. But it was the veteran’s ill-advised pass, inside midfield with nobody on the left, that fell into the path of Nathan Aké and the chance to shoot was too tempting. After carrying the ball forward, Aké snapped up his elbows and fired a 25-yard effort against the inside of Fabio’s post; through a flick from the keeper it fell perfectly for Álvarez recall, who belly-flopped the rebound across the line from a yard matter.
Only 39 seconds had passed and it felt, in those opening minutes, that City could be designed to defeat him. Fluminense’s free-wheeling style under Fernando Diniz, as Guardiola pointed out before the match, is a backstop for the big Brazilian teams but their high-risk approach against their opponents has not been this strong. City were under pressure to chase more errors but, impressively, Fluminense remained committed to the more complex things from the back. The stadium was applauded as they worked possession from end to end in the eighth minute and their confidence visibly blossomed.
They gave City a warning when German striker Cano fell in the box after Ederson was clipped, not properly penalized for the narrowest of chances. Seven of Fluminense’s starting XI were 33 or over, which was a lot of focus beforehand, but a pattern emerged where City were the ones chasing them.
It meant that a contest threatened to break out on a soft, soft night but City, ice cold when it mattered, got their share of the ball back and made it count. Phil Foden appeared to be caught between crossing and shooting as he was fed into the weepy space on the left side of the Fluminense penalty area but Foden, but his ball drilled across helped him as he beat the unfortunate Nino and went into Fabio’s corner. Fluminense brought the fun but, for City, it was business as usual.
However Ederson was called into a brilliant one-handed save down his right when Keno met Marcelo’s corner with a near-perfect header. Fluminense never went back on their principles but would have definitely been packing before half-time had Fabio not made a sharp save from Jack Grealish.
Splitting hairs, City gave Fluminense one or two more chances to strut their stuff than Guardiola might have liked. With a message conveyed, they began their second spell in the brand of disciplined control that saw them defeat Urawa Reds three days earlier. Fabio immediately parried Foden’s strike and, from Bernardo’s follow-up, prevented a near-carbon copy of the opening.
Marcelo, after his body was beaten by his brain at times even if the old class was involved, was immediately withdrawn and Fluminense looked beaten by this time. A few potential openings were wasted on the counter and it was City, once again, who led the way. They knew things were tied when Álvarez, dropped down the left after some loose defending, drove a purposeful low cross towards the edge of the six-yard box that was powerfully dispatched by the dashing Foden.
Vibrant substitute John Kennedy could have given Fluminense the consolation they deserved but Ederson overpowered him. Álvarez finished the job with a low, raking strike and the only remaining tension came when the mood rose at the end.
