Julián Álvarez and two phenomenal finishes in the Club World Cup final: he joins an exclusive club of three players and emulates Puskas and Pelé

Julián Álvarez experienced a Friday that he will never forget in his life. The two goals and the assist in Manchester City’s 4-0 victory over Fluminense in the Club World Cup final resulted in the fifteenth title of his prolific and dazzling career as a footballer. All this at just 23 years old.

But the Cordobese from Calchín has other reasons to celebrate. He was chosen as Player of the Match after his fantastic performance, although he did not win any individual awards, as the Golden Ball went to his teammate Rodri, the Silver Ball to his colleague Kyle Walker and the Bronze ball to the Colombian Jhon. He airs from Fluminense.

This shouldn’t matter much to you either. With his brilliant evening in Jeddah he joined a select club of three players who have won the four most important tournaments in planet football. These are the Copa Libertadores, won in 2018 with River, the Champions League and the Club World Cup, both with Manchester City in 2023, and the World Cup, won with the Argentine national team in Qatar 2022, where he also won and contributed with four goals.

The other two to have achieved that poker are the Brazilians Cafú (53) and Dida (50). The former right back, one of the best in history, won two World Cups (1994 and 2002), two Libertadores with San Pablo (1992 and 1993), an Intercontinental (1993), a Champions League with Milan (2007) his career and the Club World Cup (2007). The former goalkeeper, meanwhile, won the 1997 Libertadores with Cruzeiro, the Club World Cup with Corinthians (2000) and with Milan (2007) and the Champions League with the Rossoneri (2003 and 2007).

But there are other records that Julián Álvarez achieved with his masterclass in Jeddah. The fact is that the record of two goals and one assist in a Club World Cup or Intercontinental final is something only three other players could achieve. I am Ferenc Puskás, from Real Madrid, born in 1960; Pele, by Santos; in 1962; and Vinícius, also from Real Madrid, in 2023.