Who was the FIFA Club World Cup best player in 2023?

The FIFA Club World Cup 2023 took place in Saudi Arabia from December 12th to 22nd, 2023. The tournament featured 7 teams: Manchester City (UEFA): Champions League 22/23 winner, Fluminense (CONMEBOL): Copa Libertadores 2023 winner, Urawa Red Diamonds (AFC): AFC Champions League 2022 winner, Al Ahly (CAF): CAF Champions League 22/23 winner, Club León (CONCACAF): CONCACAF Champions League 2023 winner, Auckland City (OFC): OFC Champions League 2023 winner, Al-Ittihad: Saudi Pro League 22/23 winner.

In this tournament, Man City won the championship after defeating Fluminense 4-0 in the final. Prior to that, Man City defeated Asian champions Urawa Red Diamonds 3-0. In this article, goaloomobi.com will answer the question: Who was the FIFA Club World Cup best player in 2023?

Who was the best player in the FIFA Club World Cup in 2023?

Rodri was the winner of the Best Player award. Rodri was the "heart" of Pep Guardiola's system. He completely controlled the midfield in both matches. Although he had to leave the field in the 74th minute of the final due to a heavy collision resulting in injury, Rodri had already made his mark by stifling Fluminense's attacks, helping his team keep a clean sheet and win convincingly 4-0.

Manchester City demonstrated the superior strength of the European champions with impressive statistics. They scored 7 goals and conceded none in 2 matches. This championship helped Man City complete a historic quintuple in 2023 (Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup).

Besides Rodri, defender Kyle Walker was the second highest-rated player. With Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland absent due to injury, Walker was not only a defensive anchor but also a spiritual leader, wearing the captain's armband. The English defender almost completely shut down the right flank, preventing any fast counter-attacks from Urawa Reds and Fluminense players.

Meanwhile, midfielder Jhon Arias, who played for Fluminense that year, also made a strong impression. In the 2-0 victory against Al Ahly, Arias scored the opening goal from the penalty spot and constantly disrupted the opposing defense, helping Fluminense secure a place in the final. Although Fluminense lost heavily in the final, Arias was still considered a rare bright spot.

Players who performed well at the FIFA Club World Cup 2023

Regarding the top scorer list, three players each scored two goals: Julián Álvarez, Karim Benzema, and Ali Maâloul. Alvarez holds the record for the fastest goal in FIFA Club World Cup final history, scoring in the 40th second against Fluminense. He also sealed Manchester City's 4-0 victory in the 88th minute of the final.

Meanwhile, Karim Benzema has shown great form with his new team, Al-Ittihad. Despite Al-Ittihad's early exit in the second round, Benzema still managed to make his mark with goals against Auckland City and Al Ahly. Furthermore, he became the first player in history to score in four different FIFA Club World Cup tournaments (2014, 2016, 2022, and 2023).

Finally, there's Ali Maâloul, a defender playing for Al Ahly. Despite being a full-back, Maâloul has had a knack for scoring in this tournament. He scored against Al-Ittihad in the second round and a crucial goal in the third-place match against Urawa Reds. His penalty-taking ability and attacking contributions were key to Al Ahly winning the bronze medal.

Facts about the FIFA Club World Cup 2023

This is the last tournament to be held under the old 7-team format, annually. From 2025 onwards, the FIFA Club World Cup will switch to a new format with 32 teams, held every four years, similar to the World Cup for national teams. In 2024, the tournament for the champions will be renamed the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.

With Manchester City's victory, European teams (UEFA) extended their winning streak in this tournament to 11 years. The last non-European team to win was Corinthians (Brazil) in 2012 after defeating Chelsea. Man City also became the fourth English team to win this tournament (after Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea).

Furthermore, Pep Guardiola became the first and only coach to win four FIFA Club World Cup titles with three different clubs: Barcelona in 2009 and 2011, Bayern Munich in 2013, and Manchester City in 2023.

In the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup, FIFA continued to apply SAOT (Semi-Automatic Offside) and VAR technology. A notable feature was that referees provided live explanations of VAR decisions to spectators in the stadium and on television via a loudspeaker system, increasing the transparency of the match.

Along with these modern technologies, Saudi Arabia invested heavily to make Jeddah the center of world football for 10 days. The final was held at King Abdullah Sports City (nicknamed "The Shining Diamond"), one of the most modern stadiums in the Middle East with a capacity of over 62,000 seats. Furthermore, the country has completed upgrades to its training grounds and transportation network in a short period of time to meet the strictest FIFA standards, paving the way for its bid to host the 2034 World Cup.

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