Manchester City became the first English side to win five major trophies across a calendar year with Friday’s Club World Cup triumph over Fluminense.
Julian Alvarez struck inside the first minute and, after an own goal and a finish from Phil Foden, the Argentine netted again to secure a comfortable 4-0 victory over Fluminense.
The Club World Cup is the fifth major trophy City have won in 2023 – a tally no English side has ever matched before.
Alongside this latest piece of silverware, 2023 brought glory in the Premier League, Champions League, Super Cup and FA Cup, marking an unprecedented period of success in English football.
The only trophies to allude City in 2023 were the Community Shield, which they lost to Arsenal on penalties, and the Carabao Cup, in which they shockingly fell to Southampton at the quarter-final stage.
Midfielder Phil Foden predicted an even tougher 2024, with the target on City’s back now as big as it has ever been because of their repeated success.
“Every year is going to be more challenging,” he told club media before the Club World Cup final. “You can tell that by the way opposition teams set up.
“Football teams want to beat us a lot more this year and we have to be ready for that, but I don’t think we have changed one bit.
“The motivation is still there in the way we work every day.”
