Vincent Kompany bids emotional farewell to Manchester City after 11 years

Manchester City’s celebrated captain Vincent Kompany has announced his departure from the club after serving for 11 spectacular years. The news comes a day after the Blues created footballing history as they became the English team to win all four domestic trophies in one single season. 

City’s domestic quadruple includes the Community Shield which they won back in August, the Carabao Cup in February when they beat Chelsea on penalties, the Premier League famously on the last day as they pipped Liverpool by a point and the lastly the FA Cup in a resounding fashion as they dispatched six past Watford.

Vincent Kompany has been a stalwart figure at Manchester City since his arrival in 2008 from Anderlecht for a meagre amount of €6m. The Belgian centre-back has always been highly respected by players and the staff at City for both his on and off-the-field leadership qualities and man management. 

In his more than a decade-long career at City, Kompany has lifted eleven trophies, including four Premier League titles. The defender, then only 22, was one of the first signings of the Sheikh Mansour era and now leaves as an illustrious captain, role model and club legend. 

When Pep Guardiola arrived in 2016, many thought that Kompany would not fit in the Catalan’s system. The Belgian, however, kept fighting through the many injuries and proved his undying loyalty to the club. His presence in Manchester City’s back-four always gave them added assurance and much-needed robustness.

Vincent Kompany has been the producer of some of the most iconic moments in a Manchester City shirt over the years: the crunch Manchester derby goal in 2012, a title-clinching goal on the last day of the 2013/14 season, the Carabao Cup final goal in 2018 and most recently the unbelievable strike which saw off Leicester and set Manchester City on course for another league title. 

In a heartfelt letter to the fans, Kompany harked back on his glorious career at Manchester City and also said that bowing out after lifting a domestic treble is the most fitting goodbye.

“Countless of times have I imagined this day, after all, the end has felt nearby for so many years. It still doesn’t feel real. Man City has given me everything. I’ve tried to give back as much as I possibly could. How often does someone get the chance to end such an important chapter, representing a club with such great history and tradition, in such a great fashion?”, an emotional Kompany wrote.

The 33-year old quickly announced that he will return to former club RSC Anderlecht in a three-year deal as player-manager of the club. It is almost certain that the Belgian will return to City someday given the amount of respect and love he has for the club.