Manchester City has concluded a historic 2023 by achieving a remarkable feat, becoming the first English club ever to concurrently hold the Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup.
The crowning moment took place in Jeddah on Friday, where City secured the FIFA Club World Cup in their inaugural attempt, triumphing over Brazilian side Fluminense with a convincing 4-0 victory in the final held at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium.
Pep Guardiola’s squad, having completed this unprecedented quintuple, will now return to Manchester and immediately shift their focus to preparations for the upcoming Wednesday clash in the Premier League against Everton, as they aim to continue their pursuit of securing a fourth successive league title.
Expressing the team’s pride in this extraordinary accomplishment, club captain Kyle Walker highlighted the significance of winning all five trophies in a single calendar year, labeling the achievement as “special.”
“We’ve shown over the past 12 months we are the best team in the world. Our results prove that and the consistency we have managed has been amazing.
“To win these five trophies – for me, the five biggest prizes available to us – is incredible. I am so proud to have been a part of this and I can honestly say it’s an honour to play alongside these players; I couldn’t ask for better teammates.
“And it isn’t just the players – the team behind the team here at City are the best you could ever ask for and I want to put on record my thanks and appreciation for every single person who works here day to day to try and help us be the best we can be.
“The level of quality in football across the world right now is scary. It’s really, really hard to win consistently, so to be sat here today having won the Premier League, the FA Cup, the Champions League, the Super Cup and the Club World Cup is really special and a huge achievement.
“It’s been the best year I have had in football and something I will never, ever forget.”
The 2022/23 season marked a historic milestone in Manchester City’s illustrious 129-year history. A phenomenal run of form saw the team secure victories in 22 matches and draw in five of the final 28 contests across all competitions. This exceptional performance solidified City’s status as only the second English team ever to achieve the prestigious Treble, consisting of triumphs in the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup.
The relentless pursuit of success carried into the subsequent season, where Pep Guardiola’s squad continued to make history by adding the Super Cup and Club World Cup to their already impressive collection. These achievements further cemented Manchester City’s legacy as a dominant force in football.
Pep Guardiola added: “I am so proud of this Club. What we have done is an outstanding achievement.
“To win this trophy is to be the best team in the world and our players, our coaches, our backroom staff, all of them work hard every single day to bring us this success.
“As a manager it is what I am most proud of; that we are always there. No matter how much we win, no matter what trophies we lift, we are there again to fight for the next one.
“To win the Treble was truly special, but to win two more trophies and now hold these five major titles shows the unique mentality of this team, of the Club and its fans.
“It is something no other English team has ever achieved and we will always remember this incredible time we spent together.”
For the City boss, the recent triumph represents another addition to his ever-expanding collection of silverware. Since his arrival at Manchester City in the summer of 2016, Pep Guardiola has now secured a total of 16 trophies. This impressive haul includes five Premier League titles, one Champions League, two FA Cups, four League Cups, one Super Cup, one Club World Cup, and two Community Shields.
Across his entire managerial career, Guardiola’s trophy cabinet now boasts an astounding total of 37 major honors. The recent FIFA Club World Cup victory marks his fourth title in this competition, with previous successes achieved during his tenure with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011, and Bayern Munich in 2013 before his latest triumph with Manchester City.