Though Manchester City is on cloud nine, courtesy of their FIFA Club World Cup triumph, Erling Haaland is not having the best of times. An ankle injury kept Haaland at bay during City’s Club World Cup semi-final against Urawa Red Diamonds. Per FIFA regulations, the semi-final absence subsequently forced the 23-year-old to miss the final. Interestingly, the club did not miss their #9’s services, as they demolished Fluminense 4-0. Interestingly, a soccer pundit and also a compatriot of the lethal striker preferred his peer and titled him as Manchester City’s true centerpiece.

Last night, Erling Haaland’s absence was not an issue for Pep Guardiola, thanks to Julian Alvarez. Alvarez’s brace propelled the Cityzens’ victory. His showdown has now prompted an analyst to call him ‘perfect’, a praise even Haaland has never enjoyed.

‘He is everywhere!’, claims an analyst, but not for Erling Haaland

Manchester City’s first-ever FIFA Club World Cup win was the talking point in the recent episode of ESPN FC. Show host Dan Thomas said, “Who needs Haaland!”, asserting how Julian Alvarez stole the show against Fluminense. Soon, co-host Jan Aage Fjortoft agreed with Thomas and started to speak highly of the 23-year-old Argentine. “It’s not like it is a superstar present on the pitch. Because he [Alvarez] is everywhere. He is just bit there, bit there, doing the assists, scoring his goals. This is just a perfect football player,” said Jane Aage Fjortoft.

Guardiola and Co. landed Alvarez in the same window as Erling Haaland. The Norwegian’s signing was deemed the club’s biggest in recent times. While the latter’s signing attracted no eyeballs. However, from being the least noticed signing to a ‘perfect’ player, Alvarez has come a long way. After Fjortoft, co-host Shaka Hislop also lauded the 23-year-old, and explained how he is a perfect weapon that Pep Guardiola can deploy anywhere on the field. Apart from his all-round skills, the young Manchester City forward also boasts an immense title pedigree, perhaps like no other 23-year-old.

Alvarez’s already-full trophy cabinet

In his early twenties itself, Julian Alvarez has secured a whopping 14 titles, including the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Champions League. With Argentina, the star forward has won a Copa America, and a UEFA-CONMEBOL Cup of Champions titles apart from last year’s FIFA World Cup. With City, he has won this season’s treble, a UEFA Super Cup, and now the Club World Cup. Alvarez’s pursuit of titles did not start from his days in Manchester. It started back then when he was still playing for Argentina’s River Plate.

READ MORE: Fluminense Fans Tease Pep Guardiola By Chanting Lionel Messi’s Name Ahead of Club WC Final

At River Plate, Julian Alvarez has secured an impressive six titles including South America’s biggest prize: the Copa Libertadores trophy. This trophy collection is indeed a testament to his all-round skills and ability to bloom wherever he is planted. Do you think Julian Alvarez could soon surpass Erling Haaland and become Manchester City’s main man? Tell us in the comments below.

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