Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola carved his name into history once again by becoming the first manager to win four FIFA Club World Cup finals.
A 4-0 triumph over Brazilian side Fluminense in Jeddah saw City crowned champions of the world – with the Club also becoming the first English side to win the five major trophies of Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and Club World Cup in a single calendar year.
It also represented the Etihad manager’s 16th major trophy since he joined City in the summer of 2016 and 37th overall since he first began his transformational career as a head coach with Barcelona in 2008.
Read Also: FIFACWC: Man City Thrash Urawa Red Diamonds 3-0 To Reach Final
Furthermore, the victory in the Saudi Arabian port city saw Pep become the first manager to triumph in four FIFA Club World Cups, with Guardiola overtaking Carlo Ancelotti who has won the trophy on three occasions. Having guided Barcelona to Club World Cup glory in 2009 and 2011 as well as with Bayern Munich in 2013, Guardiola has now achieved a fourth triumph in the global showpiece, something no other coach has achieved.
It’s further evidence of the 53-year-old’s standing as one of world football’s all-time greatest managers as well as being one of the game’s defining tacticians and strategic visionaries. Friday’s victory also helped cap one of the most memorable and successful years in both City’s and Pep’s storied histories.
As well as guiding City to a first-ever Champions League success in 2023, in the process Pep also oversaw a historic Treble with the Club claiming a third successive Premier League title alongside a famous FA Cup final derby victory over Manchester United at Wembley.
That astounding achievement also saw Pep become the first manager in the history of the game to secure what each country recognises as its most significant Treble twice, with the boss having previously achieved the feat with Barcelona in 2008-09. Further major silverware then followed in the shape of the UEFA Super Cup after a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Sevilla in Greece back in August.
Now Friday’s Club World Cup triumph, fittingly achieved in the spectacular surrounds of Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sport City Stadium, has set the seal on a year never to be forgotten. Those 16 major trophies since Pep took charge at the Etihad also make him the most successful manager in European football during that period with the City boss having also earned a plethora of prestigious individual awards along the way.