JULIAN ALVAREZ only turned 24 a couple of months ago . . . yet he has already won the lot.
Last season the forward helped Manchester City win the Treble — and has since added the Super Cup and Club World Cup.
And in the midst of all that, Alvarez was part of the Argentina side that lifted the World Cup in December 2022, adding to the Copa America they won a year earlier.
His medal collection will already be envied by footballers past and present, all over the world, and he has only been a professional player for a few years.
So the only thing left for the Etihad hero to do now is . . . try to win them all again.
And with plenty of years left in his career, the former River Plate star sees no reason why he cannot do it.
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Ahead of Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace, Alvarez said: “There’s been a lot of trophies in a short amount of time — but I want to keep growing as a player and person.
“And why not win all the same titles again?
“It’s a lot of titles, yes, but I just want to keep doing it.
“I will keep training and will keep working for the fans so we can get more pleasure out of winning.”
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For now, the gongs he has won are split between Manchester and South America but one day he will put them all together.
Smiling, he explained: “Some are in Argentina and some are here with me in the UK.
“The World Cup one is in Argentina — in a special cabinet.”
One person who will certainly be envious of his glittering collection is City’s 260-goal all-time record scorer Sergio Aguero.
His fellow Argentine has an impressive array of silverware from an unforgettable decade of success at the Etihad from 2011 until 2021.
But the World Cup and Champions League always eluded him.
Alvarez has always been in awe of Aguero and sought his advice when the opportunity to sign for Pep Guardiola’s side first arose in 2021.
But, recently, Aguero reached out to him for a signed City shirt to give to a good cause.
Alvarez, who finally joined City in the summer of 2022 for £14million from River Plate, said: “Kun [Aguero] and I talk a lot — maybe not as much as we used to as he’s outside of football.
“He’s doing a lot of streaming now. But we talk when we can.
Aguero asked for Alvarez’s signed shirt
“Before I moved here I asked him for advice, yes — what to do in Manchester, how is the city.
“I used to watch him as a kid, the same as I watched Messi. He’s always been an example for me but especially now I play for City.”
The two countrymen missed each other at the Etihad by just 12 months so never got the chance to play up front together.
Instead, Alvarez shares striking duties with Erling Haaland, who will surely break Aguero’s records if he stays at the Etihad for the long term.
Alvarez dismissed suggestions that he and the Norwegian cannot work together as a pair and insists they can be a formidable duo.
He said: “It’s a pleasure to play with him always. We have shown we can play together and give a lot to the team when we do.
Alvarez can play with Haaland
“I’m used to playing with other strikers — ever since I was a child I have always shared the forward roles with other guys.
“But we have demonstrated that we can play together to help the team. We try to work together and I have the feeling we can do it.”
Alvarez has generally been in Haaland’s shadow since they arrived at the Etihad almost two years ago.
Yet just as he did in the Treble-winning campaign, the Argentine has made a big contribution, scoring 16 times already this term.
He said: “I’ve played more this season — the first year I had to be more patient.
“I’ve played in different positions, as a nine or ten. But I’m happy to be playing a lot more. It depends, I can adapt to both nine or ten but I would say that I prefer playing as a nine.
“Players here need to be able to adapt to what the manager says and sometimes it can be a bit confusing changing a lot. But you just have to adapt.”
Alvarez’s nickname
Alvarez has certainly adapted to life in England and has even brought his boyhood nickname with him to the Premier League.
He was dubbed La Arana — the Spider — as a young player because he looked like he had many legs, such was the speed he moved at. So it makes him smile when it is used as his name is announced after a goal when he is a sub at the Etihad.
His ‘Spider’ goal celebration has also been seen regularly by City fans over the past couple of seasons.
Alvarez, whose side need maximum points at Palace to keep the title heat on rivals Liverpool and Arsenal, said: “It was out of nowhere.
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“We were playing with my brothers and friends. One day they called me Arana — Spider — and now it sticks.
“City asked if I wanted to hear that. I said I’d rather it be in Spanish as Arana is my nickname, rather than Spider. I love that I’m still called it.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
