Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola praised teenage attacking midfielder Claudio Echeverri's dedication on the training ground after he netted a fine free-kick in the Club World Cup win over Al Ain on Sunday.
The 19-year-old scored City's second goal in a 6-0 rout of the UAE side in Atlanta which sent the Premier League club through to the last 16 of Fifa's expanded competition.
On his first start for the club Echeverri notched his first goal, with the youngster taking charge of a dead-ball situation on the edge of the box and whipping his effort around the wall into the top corner.
"I want to tell you something, so since he arrived (in January), the (last) three or four months with the lads, at the end of the training session, he was practising the free-kicks alone, with the 'keeper, with the wall," Guardiola told reporters.
"The others, they didn't practise, he was practising and practising, and work pays off.
"So at the end, he had the courage, the quality. When you practise, you know, it's like golf or like basketball, as much you practise free shots, the more chances you have."
Not a bad way for Claudio Echeverri to score his first Manchester City goal 🔥
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) June 23, 2025
And on his first start!#FIFACWC #CWC2025 #SSFootball pic.twitter.com/Zs3fjmipKi
Echeverri, nicknamed the 'Little Devil', joined from Argentine giants River Plate and made his City debut in May, in the FA Cup final defeat by Crystal Palace.
Guardiola took him off at halftime for Phil Foden, later explaining the playmaker had suffered a small knock.
"It was a fantastic goal, he's an incredible player in the small spaces," continued the City coach.
"Unfortunately, he could not continue to halftime (because of) a problem with the ankle, but yeah, he was truly good in the first minutes, and... he made a fantastic goal, the free kick was really, really, really good."
Echeverri 🤝 Messi
— Fifa Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) June 23, 2025
Two special free-kicks in three nights from Argentines in Atlanta at the #FIFACWC. 🇦🇷💫 pic.twitter.com/esOLTJ4KGb
With two late goals in the game from Oscar Bobb and Rayan Cherki, City came close to overtaking Juventus at the top of Group G.
They are level on points with the Old Lady but trail them on goals scored, meaning if City are to finish top of the group and potentially avoid Real Madrid in the last 16, they must beat Juve on Thursday in Orlando.
"With one more goal we'd have two options. Now we have just one, maybe it's better," said Guardiola.
"(What's) important is that we are in the next phase... (we will face the) top, top teams sooner or later so it doesn't matter.
"We (will eventually) see the Brazilian teams, European top-class teams, so it's not a big concern."