So, the project is now complete. Abu Dhabi's plan to conquer the world of football has finally been accomplished. And Sheikh Mansour even turned up to see 15 years of colossal - and questionable - financial investment yield a first Champions League triumph for Manchester City.
Did they deserve it? That's obviously a loaded question from an ethical perspective. But, from a sporting standpoint, no, on the night, Inter were the better side. City may have had all the ball, but they played nowhere near their best in a fortuitous 1-0 win at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium.
They looked strangely nervous, perhaps overwhelmed by the occasion. They were heavy favourites to win this game; many thought it would be a walkover. But City played with an unusual lack of confidence and precision. Pep Guardiola could be heard screaming, somewhat ironically, at his players to 'Relax!' during the first half.
But City got the job done, thanks to Rodri's well-taken 68th-minute strike, and really that's all that matters from Mansour's perspective. It may have taken longer than it should have given the amount of oil money pumped into the club, but the bottom line is that City have made history. They are treble winners and, in spite of their poor performance against Inter, nobody would dispute the claim that they are the best team on the planet right now based on the 2022-23 season as a whole.
Below, GOAL runs through the winners and losers from the belated coronation of a new world order in Istanbul...