CITY CROWN A GOLDEN YEAR

Quickfire Alvarez swoops to conquer for the best club team on the planet

- Simon Mullock

IT WAS not long ago that Manchester City dreamed of being the best team in town. Now they have conquered the world.

Julian Alvarez scored twice, with Phil Foden and an own goal by Fluminense defender Nino ensuring City lifted the Club World Cup for the first time.

It was a ruthless performance, although the sight of midfield linchpin Rodri limping off in the second half will be a worry for Pep Guardiola on the flight home from the Middle East. Guardiola had said this was City's chance to "close the circle" and perhaps it was fitting that when they lifted the only trophy they had not won it was among the oilfields in the desert.

The black gold pumped 1,000 miles away in Abu Dhabi fuelled the City revolution in 2008 but it has still taken the genius of a 52-year-old Catalan to make the club the most dominant club in the game.

From 100 points and a domestic quadruple to three successive titles and the Treble.

Now City have become the first club to lift the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, European Super Cup and Club World Cup in the same year.