As Julian Alvarez says himself: “A lot has happened”. In the past 12 months, the 22-year-old forward has joined Premier League champions Manchester City and won the World Cup with Argentina. “I had a great year,” he says with a grin.
The speed of Alvarez’s rise to the pinnacle of the beautiful game has even taken him by surprise. “It’s all happened in a short space of time, lots of great things, I made some of my dreams come true. I try to make the most of things and every moment, trying to improve as a player and a person and approach what’s to come in the best way possible.”
In Qatar, Alvarez came of age. The quick-footed forward started all of Argentina’s seven games on the emotional route to the nation becoming world champions for the first time since 1986. He was the perfect foil for Leo Messi, dovetailing as the team’s No 9, scoring four goals including two in the 3-0 semi-final victory over Croatia.
The celebrations back in Argentina were momentous, a moment that Alvarez and his team-mates will never forget. “We felt the support and love from a lot of people,” he says, “obviously in Argentina and Qatar as well but in every part of the world, it’s really special. Even though as a group we were already in good shape these things really help and push you forward. I think that was key, every small thing contributes.”
For any doubters, Alvarez demonstrated in the Gulf why City were so keen to obtain his signature in January 2022 on a 5½-year contract. He was loaned back to River Plate — where he scored 34 goals in 74 appearances — until July before properly joining the Manchester club.
Pep Guardiola has slowly deployed Alvarez in matches while he adapts to the English game. He has started only three Premier League games but has been a regular starter in the cup competitions and Champions League.
“In terms of adaption I always try to put myself in a position so that I can adapt as quickly as possible,” Alvarez explains. “The club have helped me out a great deal, the coaching staff and my teammates, and that’s made everything much easier. I try to train as best as I can for the coach and make the most of every minute I get to play.”
The demands of Guardiola can test even the most experienced and adept players. Alvarez found his time under Marcelo Gallardo at River Plate transformative — “I developed a great deal under him as both a person and as a player”, he says — but is relishing the lessons dished out by the serial winner and avant-garde coach Guardiola.
“I try to listen to every piece of advice he gives in every training session in order to improve. They might ask different things of me, but as a 22-year-old I try to learn and listen every day to keep improving. Obviously, you learn and develop playing with the best players.”
'I learn from Haaland every day'
Perhaps it was both a blessing and a curse that Alvarez arrived at City in the same summer as Erling Haaland, arguably the club’s biggest ever signing. Haaland has stolen the headlines during his six months in Manchester, hitting the ground running and scoring at a remarkable rate, already notching 27 goals, but without one this calendar year.
Alvarez has played second fiddle to the Norwegian but in Guardiola’s attempt to get City firing again, he may disregard his neglect for starting two strikers and pair the two together more often. “I always say that beyond being a great player he’s a great person who always tries to help me,” Alvarez says of Haaland. “As a player he’s been showing how good he is for a while now with all of the goals he’s scored, not just here at Manchester City but also his former clubs.”
It was Haaland’s mentality that surprised Alvarez most. “He wants more and more every day, and also for his height he’s so strong, quick, intelligent and decisive in front of goal. He’s decisive for the team so I try to learn from him every day and to see what I can take from him, playing with the best always helps you. I’m yet to play alongside him so I’m trying to prepare myself so that I can play as a lone striker or with him.”
City have been crowned league champions in four of the past five seasons, but face a challenge if they are to retain it this term. They currently sit eight points behind leaders Arsenal, who they still have to face twice, and will have to take on the role of chasers.
“Obviously Arsenal have been doing great, but we’re just focused on doing well in every game that comes, taking things game by game, trying to win and not drop points, and obviously these games against Arsenal will be key because they’re games in which we can take points off them and get points for ourselves, and get us closer to the top of the table.”
Last week was one to forget for City as they were knocked out of the League Cup — a competition they have won four years on the spin — by Southampton and lost the Manchester derby 2-1. Still, they can edge closer to Arsenal on Thursday evening when they welcome fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur to the Etihad Stadium.
Spurs won both games against City last season, including an epic 3-2 in Manchester which appeared to knock City out of their title stride before they regathered themselves. “Every game in the Premier League is a challenge, there are great teams with top players, but Tottenham have been playing great football for many years now, and that’s been the case this season as well, so it’ll be a key game.
“But as I said we’ll focus on ourselves, we want to get more points, so it’ll be a great game which we’ll try to win as always.” Alvarez’s thirst for victories and trophies is clearly undimmed.