The striker opens up to GOAL about playing alongside his childhood hero for the Albiceleste and his productive partnership with Erling Haaland
Premier League title? Check. FA Cup? Check. Champions League? Check. Its South American equivalent, the Copa Libertadores? Check as well. And what about international trophies. Yep, he's got those too: the Copa America, Argentina's first major trophy in 28 years, and then the jewel in the crown, the 2022 World Cup. And don't forget the UEFA Super Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup, the Finalissima, the Argentine Primera Division, Copa Argentina and Supercopa.
Julian Alvarez's list of honours, currently standing at 14 trophies for club and country, is truly astonishing, and most players would dream about lifting that much silverware by the end of their careers. The scary thing is that the Manchester City and Argentina striker has only just turned 24.
Alvarez lifted the most important honours in the space of 12 whirlwind months. His epic trophy hunt began with the thrilling World Cup final triumph over France in December 2022, scoring four goals along the way. He then helped City win a third consecutive Premier League title, an FA Cup and finally capture the Champions League for the first time, becoming the first English club since rivals Manchester United in 1999 to claim the treble.
The journey culminated one year later with City thrashing Fluminense 4-0 in the Club World Cup final in Saudi Arabia, with Alvarez scoring the first and last goal on his way to being named Man of the Match. But it is far from over yet, as Alvarez is far from sated…
Tom Flathers/Manchester City FC via Getty ImagesAnother treble in his sights
In fact, he is setting his sights on yet another treble this season and firmly believes City can pull it off. "Yes, obviously I think we can," Alvarez tells GOAL in an exclusive interview. "In the final few months of the season, we’re fighting for all the competitions, we’re good as a group and I think we can do it."
The striker's words will be music to Guardiola's ears as the ever-demanding Catalan is also desperate for more success and has shown no interest in throwing in the towel with City any time soon. Alvarez knows that Guardiola will not let him and his team-mates rest on their laurels despite all their achievements, and he insists the squad share their coach's thirst for winning.
"I have that feeling, but it’s not just him and his demands, it’s a bit of us too," Alvarez says. "We’re very competitive and we always want to go for more and that’s what we’re doing this season, trying to do it again."
AdvertisementGettyGoals of all types
Alvarez grew up in the town of Calchin in Cordoba province, and from the age of three would play football on the pitch opposite his house with his two brothers, Rafael and Agustin. He grew up supporting River Plate and realised his dream by joining the Millionarios aged 16, after trials with Real Madrid and Boca Juniors.
Alvarez was regarded as a late bloomer and was shifted around the attack, which helped him develop into the versatile player he is today, capable of scoring all sorts of goals, from an thunderous strike at Craven Cottage – which he counts as his favourite effort so far for City – to his improvised finish with his chest against Fluminense.
"I always characterised myself for having this ability to do a bit of everything whenever I enter the pitch and playing in various positions throughout my career, closer to the midfield, sometimes as a centre-forward, sometimes out wide, has helped me a lot to have that ability," he says.
Alvarez won his first major trophy with River in 2018, coming off the bench in the epic Copa Libertadores final against hated rivals Boca Juniors which was transported from Buenos Aires to Madrid due to crowd trouble. But he only started to make a name for himself three years later, when firing River to the Argentine league title – their first in seven years – in 2021 with 20 goals.
Getty Latest Cityzen from Argentina
His rise had already alerted City, and he signed for the club in January 2022 for just £14 million in what has proven to be one of the greatest bargains in recent years. And he was more than happy to follow in the footsteps of the other great Argentines to play for the club, such as Carlos Tevez, Pablo Zabaleta, Martin Demichelis and all-time top scorer Sergio Aguero.
"There have been many players who have triumphed here and done very important things here, so being in Argentina and watching everything City have been doing, I saw them as one of the best clubs in the world over the last few years," Alvarez says. "So when I found out they were interested in me, I never doubted. I think it was a good decision." He can say that again!
Alvarez has built on the success of his Argentine predecessors and he can sense City have gained a big following in his homeland. After all, wearing the same colours as the Argentina flag cannot hurt. City have been parading the five trophies they won in 2023 around the world, and next month the silverware will make a stop off in Buenos Aires.
"It will be very nice for them and it makes me proud that the trophies are going to Argentina and the fans can see them and take photos with them. They are cheering and supporting us from a long way away and the fact that they can have this is very special for them too," Alvarez says.
Getty 'Privilege to work with Pep'
The striker was not expecting quite so much success with his club or his country when he sealed his move to City on his 22nd birthday, although he knew he would have to raise his game.
"You always imagine and have your dreams and objectives, but I didn’t think about it that way, more step-by-step and what was coming up next,” he says. "The first thing was to score and be on the same level as City. I also knew the World Cup was coming up soon, so I had to be on the same level as Argentina and help them, and in the end everything came off. It was an incredible year and I’m very happy and very proud of everything I did."
Alvarez spent the first six months of 2022 back with River, and when he eventually arrived in Manchester his reputation had been boosted by him scoring six goals in one match against Allianza Lima. Alvarez made a fine start, too, by scoring on his debut for City against Liverpool in the Community Shield.
But he had to get used to starting a lot of matches on the bench as he had the somewhat unfortunate position of competing with Erling Haaland for the centre-forward's role. Guardiola praised him for being so patient and whenever Alvarez got his chance it is fair to say he took it, scoring 17 times in just 23 starts.
"Obviously I knew that it was my first season and the team were doing very well, so I always try to make the most of the minutes I get and that’s how it went, always waiting my turn to help the team, and the relationship with Guardiola is good because of this," Alvarez says.
"Obviously, City are one of the best clubs in the world in the past few years and Guardiola one of the best coaches. I grew up watching Barca in the era of Messi when Pep was coach and I admired him a lot for everything he was doing and achieved there. Having him as a coach is a privilege."