Manchester City
Manchester City, commonly referred to as Man City, is a professional football club based in Manchester, England. The club was founded in 1880 as St Mark's (West Gorton) and later became Ardwick Association Football Club before finally settling on the name Manchester City in 1894.
Man City has a rich history, with numerous successes and failures throughout its existence. However, in recent years, the club has experienced an unprecedented period of success under the ownership of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family.
In this article, we will take a closer look at Manchester City and their journey to becoming one of the most dominant football clubs in the world.
History of Manchester City
Manchester City's early years were marked by success, as the club won the FA Cup in 1904 and the league title in 1937 and 1968. However, the club also experienced many periods of struggle, including several relegations and financial difficulties.
In the 1990s, Manchester City began to rebuild under the ownership of businessman Francis Lee. The club moved to a new stadium, the City of Manchester Stadium (now known as the Etihad Stadium), and achieved promotion to the Premier League in 2002.
However, it wasn't until the arrival of Sheikh Mansour in 2008 that Manchester City truly began to transform into a dominant force in world football.
The Sheikh Mansour Era
Sheikh Mansour's acquisition of Manchester City for a reported £210 million in 2008 was a turning point for the club. With the backing of the Abu Dhabi royal family, the club was able to invest heavily in the transfer market and build a state-of-the-art training facility.
The club's first major signing under Sheikh Mansour's ownership was Brazilian striker Robinho, who arrived from Real Madrid for a club-record fee of £32.5 million. However, it was the appointment of Roberto Mancini as manager in 2009 that really kickstarted Manchester City's revival.
Mancini led the club to its first major trophy in 35 years when they won the FA Cup in 2011. The following season, Manchester City won their first league title in 44 years in dramatic fashion, scoring two late goals to secure a 3-2 victory over Queens Park Rangers on the final day of the season.
Manchester City continued to invest heavily in the transfer market under Sheikh Mansour's ownership, bringing in star players such as Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Yaya Toure, and Kevin De Bruyne. The club won the Premier League again in 2014 and 2018, as well as several domestic cups and the Community Shield.
Pep Guardiola Era
In 2016, Manchester City appointed Pep Guardiola as their new manager. Guardiola, widely regarded as one of the best coaches in world football, had previously enjoyed success at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Guardiola's arrival at Manchester City marked a new phase in the club's development. He introduced a new style of play, with an emphasis on possession-based football and high pressing. He also made several key signings, including goalkeeper Ederson and full-backs Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy.
In his first season in charge, Guardiola led Manchester City to the Premier League title with a record-breaking 100 points. They also won the League Cup, but were knocked out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals.
