Man City thrash Fluminense to win the Club World Cup

Termed a "unique opportunity" by Pep Guardiola, any notion of complacency from the European favorites was promptly dismissed before kick-off.

The South American opponents were equally determined, but their commitment to playing from the back backfired in the opening minute. A turnover from Marcelo exposed Flu, allowing Nathan Aké to drive towards the goal. Fábio tipped Aké's fierce strike onto the post, but the 43-year-old goalkeeper couldn't prevent Julián Álvarez from chesting the ball into an empty net.

Although the Brazilian side seemed to win a penalty when Ederson brought down Germán Cano in the box, it was nullified for an offside. Approaching the half-hour mark, Fernando Diniz’s team suffered another setback, falling two goals behind as Rúben Dias' pass to Phil Foden looped into the net off a sliding Nino.

City dominated the second half, controlling the ball against a visibly fatigued opponent. A creative set-piece routine nearly resulted in a third goal for the English side, with Foden forcing a save before netting in the 72nd minute.

Despite Fluminense's halftime introduction of John Kennedy, who dazzled past City players, and late efforts troubling Ederson, City sealed the victory with Álvarez's second goal, capping off a dream year for Fluminense with their first Copa Libertadores trophy.

City's triumph marks them as the first English club to simultaneously hold the Premier League, UCL, UEFA Super Cup, and FCWC titles, securing their place in history with 18 wins in their last 23 cup fixtures and four trophies in the past 12 months.