Manchester City-Fluminense, for the Club World Cup final: Julián Álvarez focuses on the last great star missing from his meteoric career

Lionel Messi He is the Argentine player with the most titles in history: 43. The last one obtained at the age of 36 with InterMiami. Giuliano Alvarez He is already 14 years old, one older than his Argentine captain of the same age. Messi has already won the FIFA Club World Cup three times and now the Manchester City striker can follow in his footsteps.

The previous edition in which the clubs felt like world champions was the European-South American Cup, also called Intercontinental, which was played between 1960 and 2004. Of the 22 players present in the squad of the 78 World Cups, four were also world champions with their own clubs, while among those in 1986 there were seven.

The first three were players from Independentwho in 1973 won 1 to 0 against Juventus with a goal Ricardo Bocchini: Ruben Galvan AND Daniele Bertoni They were headliners at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome and five years later were on the World Cup list drawn up Cesare Luis Menotti.

Furthermore, on 25 June 1978 they competed in the Olympic tour at the Monumentale Ruben Galvanwho failed to add minutes in the tournament, and Bertoniscorer of the third goal against the Netherlands, Americo Gallego AND Norberto Alonso. The two, eight years later, celebrated in Tokyo, Japan, after beating the Intercontinental final Steaua Bucharest of Romania 1-0 with a goal by Antonio Alzamendi, on 14 December 1986.

In that match they also defended the millionaire’s shirt Nery Pumpido, Oscar Ruggeri AND Ettore Enricowho had been crowned world champion in Mexico on 29 June 1986. The three have a unique record for Argentine players: the same year they won the local championship, the Libertadores, the Intercontinental and the World Cup.

Two years earlier, on 9 December 1984, Independiente had won their second Intercontinental Cup beating 1-0 Liverpool of England with a goal from José Percudani. In that great team that led the Pato Omar Pastorizaplayed Mouthpiecessole survivor of the 1973 final, Ricardo Giusti, Jorge Luis Burruchaga AND Nestor Clausen. The four were on the list of 22 prepared by Carlos Bilardo and celebrated in Mexico. Until Messi’s appearance, Bochini was the only Argentine player to have won the Intercontinental twice.

The eleven Argentine players who had won the European-South American Cup and the World Cup were joined in Qatar 2022 by the phenomenon Rosario, who had already won the Club World Cup three times, all three with Barcelona. The first celebration dates back to 2009, when they won 2-1 after extra time Students from La Plata, with an unforgettable chest goal in the 4th minute of the second overtime. Two years later he repeated the title, this time beating the Saints of Brazil 4 to 0, with a brace from Leo.

Messi’s last consecration in the Club World Cup dates back to 2015, when he defeated 3-0 River in the final, with a goal from Leo and a brace from Luis Suárez. In that December the current Inter Miami player already had 27 titles in his career.

Now it’s Julián Álvarez’s turn, who in five years has already won 14 titles, six in Argentine football with River: Libertadores 2018, Recopa Sudamericano 2019, Copa Argentina 2019, Supercopa Argentina 2019, Torneo Liga 2021 and Champions Trophy 2021. In the meantime, he was pre-Olympic champion in 2020. With the Biancocelesti he also added the Copa América 2021. , the Finalissima 2022 and the World Cup in Qatar.

Since his arrival in the England team he has won four further trophies, all during this year: Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League and European Super Cup. In the 19 editions of the Club World Cup, only three South American teams have won, all Brazilian: Corinthians in 2000 and 2012, St. Paul in 2005 and International in 2006. The city aims for its first and European hegemony. And Julián, the pride of Argentina, for continuing to win titles.