Manchester City’s treble-winning captain Ilkay Gundogan will have a training field dedicated in his honor, the club has announced. Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak paid tribute to the legendary midfielder.
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After seven years, Gundogan left City in the summer, choosing to sign with Barcelona when his contract came to an end. His final act as a City player was to complete an unprecedented trifecta by lifting the Champions League trophy for the first time.
Aside from his two goals in the FA Cup final against Manchester United, which included a record-breaking strike just 12 seconds in, the German will be remembered for a number of memorable performances, including his title-winning brace on the final day of the 2021–2022 season against Aston Villa, his outstanding goalscoring form at the end of the previous season, and of course his two goals on the day he won the league against Bayern Munich.
Gundogan will now have a pitch at the City Football Academy named in his honor in honor of his contribution to the team’s five Premier League championships, four League Cups, two FA Cups, and Champions League triumphs. The same honor will also be given to club stalwarts Yaya Toure, Joe Hart, Alex Williams, and Fernandinho.
Along with their respective statues outside the Etihad Stadium, Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany, and David Silva also have fields named in their honor. Similar to the other fields, a unique mosaic of Gundogan’s jubilation after winning his fourth of five league championships against Aston Villa was made by local Manchester artist Mark Kennedy.
The chairman of Manchester City, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, wrote in a message: “It is truly my privilege and honor to unveil this mosaic that is a tribute to every accomplishment you’ve made as a member of this Manchester City family over the years. On behalf of His Highness Sheikh Mansour, on behalf of everyone associated with Manchester City.
You have played a significant role as a leader and a cornerstone in this Club’s history, which will go down in history books forever.We are all really grateful for the wonderful memories you gave us, both as the first captain of Manchester City to win the Champions League and as a player who won five Premier Leagues and numerous other trophies throughout his time with the team.
Beyond these outstanding achievements as a football player, however, your leadership achievements in the Club and the community will always be remembered.
In order to preserve you a part of the history of this Club, of this institution, and a location where you can come and always know that you have left an important mark that will never be forgotten, today I want to thank you on behalf of everyone affiliated with the Club. This mosaic is our gift to you.
