The meteoric rise of Manchester City and Argentina star Julián Álvarez in the e past 12 months has been something to behold, writes Dylan Appolis.

From the streets of Calchín to winning the World Cup with Argentina, Julián Álvarez’s journey has been nothing short of impressive.

Álvarez was snapped up by Premier League champions Manchester City in January 2022 after completing a £14-million transfer from the Argentine club River Plate.

After penning a five-and-a-half-year contract, he was subsequently loaned back to the Argentine Primera División outfit until July of last year.

During his time playing at River Plate, Álvarez managed to score 54 goals and contribute 31 assists in 122 appearances across all competitions.

But his most notable performance for the Argentine club came when he broke a 121-year-old River Plate record by claiming a six-goal haul in their 8–1 victory over Allianz Lima in the Copa Libertadores in May 2022.

“He is capable of operating in a number of attacking roles, and we firmly believe that he’s one of the best young attacking players in South America,” said Man City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain.

“I am so happy we have managed to bring him to Manchester City. I really believe we can provide him with the right conditions to fulfil his potential and become a top player.”

Upon arriving at City from his loan stint, Álvarez hit the ground running and bagged a goal on his competitive debut in the 3–1 loss to rivals Liverpool in the Community Shield at the start of this campaign.

He made his Premier League debut when he came on as a second-half substitute for Erling Haaland in a 2–0 away win against West Ham United, and scored his first and second Premier League goals when they hammered Nottingham Forest 6–0.

However, his game time has been limited due to Haaland’s impressive goal-scoring record since joining the club from Borussia Dortmund.

“I knew him a bit from the TV, the clips at River Plate – I am surprised how good he is,” Man City coach Pep Guardiola said of Álvarez.

“All of us are impressed by how he is as a centre forward, the work ethic and many things. Definitely, when Erling doesn’t play, we will play Julián.

“He is always positive and always gives everything, in training sessions. I like these kinds of players. He has quality to play. We are delighted. Julián is an exceptional player.”

Álvarez‘s form during the World Cup has shown that the Argentine has plenty more to offer his club and country, despite being labelled a peripheral figure for Argentina and a backup to Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martínez.

The ‘Little Spider’, as Álvarez is affectionately known for his ability to trap the ball so it seemingly sticks to his feet, marked his World Cup debut with a substitute appearance in their shock 2–1 defeat to Saudi Arabia in the opening fixture.

He made another cameo appearance in the second game against Mexico, but was drafted into the starting line-up in their final and crucial group-stage game against Poland, which proved fruitful for him as he repaid the faith of Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni by netting his first goal at the tournament to send his side to the knockout stages.

The forward began to find his form and scored the crucial second goal in their 2–1 win against Australia in the round of 16 and proved a menace for the Netherlands in the quarter-finals.

Álvarez further established himself in the Argentine squad after he scored twice and won a penalty that Lionel Messi converted in their 3–0 semi-final win over Croatia to book their place in the final.

In the end, Álvarez proved a vital cog in the Argentine national team as he went on to help his country win their first World Cup title since 1986.

Moving forward, Álvarez has a bright future ahead of him as he continues to fight his way into the Man City starting line-up, especially after showcasing his skill and ability in Qatar, but he now has his sights on winning the Premier League title in his debut season playing in England.

“Winning the Premier League is a huge objective, and we are setting out to win every trophy that we can,” Álvarez said of his ambition.
“For me, personally, my number-one aim is to adapt quickly to the team and to play as much as possible. I want to go out there and provide assists and score goals.”

Photo by EPA/Rodrigo Jimenez