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English champion Manchester City, the European champion, won the Club Football World Cup for the first time in its history, sweeping Brazilian Fluminense, the South American champion, 4-0 in the final match, Friday, at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Argentine Julián Alvarez imposed himself as the star of the match by scoring two goals (1 and 88) and passing the ball for the third goal to Phil Foden (72), while the second was scored through friendly fire after Fluminense captain Nino accidentally diverted the ball into his team's goal (27).

Spaniard Pep Guardiola, City coach, held the record for winning the competition title, as he raised the number of his victories to four, after he led Barcelona to the title in 2009 and 2011 and Bayern Munich in 2013.

He broke his relationship with Italian Carlo Ancelotti (64 years old), the Spanish coach of Real Madrid, who had won the title three times. Several times (2007 with AC Milan, 2014 and 2022 with Real Madrid).

City was missing Norwegian giant striker Erling Haaland, Belgian playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, and compatriot Jeremy Doku due to injury, while coach Guardiola included his regular lineup led by Alvarez in the attack.

On the Fluminense side, defender Filippo Melo, at the age of 40, recorded his name as the oldest field player in the final.

City surprised Fluminense

and the European champions surprised their rival with a stunning goal a minute after the starting whistle, as Dutchman Nathan Ake received a bad long ball from the veteran former Real Madrid defender Marcelo (35 years old) and shot it powerfully from 20 meters, hitting the post, returning to Alvarez, who followed it with his chest from the penalty mark in the match. Empty goal from goalkeeper Fabio.

City doubled the score via friendly fire after Nino, Fluminense's defender and captain, accidentally diverted Foden's shot from inside the area into his team's goal when he dropped to the ground, causing the ball to change direction and deceive his goalkeeper (27).

City goalkeeper Ederson's Brazilian saved John Arias's header (40), and his Brazilian counterpart responded two minutes later by saving a missile shot from Jack Grealish.

City began the second half as it ended the first, and Foden shot and saved Fabio, and the ball returned to Portuguese Bernardo Silva, finding the Brazilian goalkeeper on the lookout again (48).

Fernando Diniz, coach of Fluminense and the interim Brazilian national team, called on the “Joker” John Kennedy, who scored in six of his last seven matches in which he played as a reserve instead of Keno (51), while Foden shot a ball that was blocked by Fabio (53).

Marcelo and Milo left, with Alexander and Diogo Barbosa replacing them at Fluminense, and Croatian Mateo Kovacic replacing Rico Luis at City (61).

City benefited from a new mistake by the Brazilian defense, and the ball reached Alvarez and turned it around inside the penalty area. Foden slid to it and turned it into the net (72), before Spanish midfielder Rodri, who was roughed, came out after two minutes and Swiss defender Manuel Akanji entered.

Foden became the first English player to score in a Club World Cup final since Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney in 2008, according to the Opta statistics agency.

Kennedy played with three City players and shot a ball with his left foot from 20 meters, which Ederson cleared (79), but his team conceded for the fourth time after a pass from captain Kyle Walker was received by Alvarez inside the area. He played with the young Andrei and shot with his left foot into the goal (88).

The teams of the Old Continent continued their dominance in the international club competition, as they did not lose in the last 22 matches, specifically since 2012.

Real Madrid is the team that has won the title the most, having won it five times (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2022), followed by Barcelona three times, the Brazilian Corinthians and Bayern. Munich twice.

AFP