Julian Alvarez completes historic quadruple

Manchester may be consumed by the concept of the saintly and sacred treble over the coming weeks and months but Julian Alvarez can go one better.

Alvarez has chiselled his name into a unique slither of golden-lined History by becoming the first player to win the European treble and World Cup in the same season.

Nine players had previously been crowned a continental champion at club level in the same year as winning the World Cup, but no one had ever been greedy enough to pile success in the domestic league and cup on top of that as well.

That is until Argentina's Alvarez completed a unique personal quadruple with Manchester City's Champions League triumph over Inter.

Julian Alvarez in the Champions League

Alvarez did not get on the pitch in Saturday's Champions League final. Pep Guardiola is yet to trust all three of Alvarez, Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland in crucial matches this season, opting for the latter two against Inter.

However, Alvarez could have been called upon as early as the 36th minute when De Bruyne limped off with a suspected hamstring injury. Guardiola turned to Phil Foden instead.

The Argentina international didn't start a single knockout match in the competition but did find the net against Real Madrid in the semi-final despite replacing Haaland in the 89th minute.

Julian Alvarez in the FA Cup

Guardiola left Alvarez on the bench for the duration of the FA Cup final as well. La Arana - the Spider - as Alvarez was nicknamed by his older brother, started four of City's first five matches in the world's oldest cup competition.

Alvarez converted a penalty against Chelsea in a third-round stroll past the west Londoners while turning the screw in a 6-0 rout of Burnley in the quarter-finals, scoring twice in the final 30 minutes on Vincent Kompany's sour return to the Etihad.

Julian Alvarez in the Premier League

Alvarez was eased into the Premier League during his debut season of English football. With only 13 top-flight appearances from the first whistle, Joao Cancelo (16) made more starts for City than Alvarez this season despite joining Bayern Munich in January.

However, when the 23-year-old was given a chance to kick off, he certainly made the most of it. Across 13 Premier League starts, Alvarez scored eight goals - compared to just one in 18 substitute appearances.

Although, the quality of opposition which Alvarez started against should be taken into consideration; the Argentina starlet wasn't selected from the off against a single side that finished the season in the Premier League's top four, but did play against all three promoted teams and two of the clubs that got relegated back to the Championship.

Julian Alvarez in the World Cup

Alvarez may have been handed the number nine shirt when Argentina's World Cup squad was announced but he started the tournament on the bench, behind Lautaro Martinez in the pecking order.

Incidentally, Martinez captained Inter in the Champions League final defeat to City but was first usurped by Alvarez seven months earlier.

Impressing off the bench in Argentina's first two group games, Lionel Scaloni started Alvarez ahead of Lautaro for the final first-round match. City's summer arrival brought boundless energy reserves and a clinical edge, scoring the first of his four goals in Qatar against Poland.

No player - including Lionel Messi - scored more non-penalty goals for the World Cup champions than Alvarez last winter.

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