Manchester City | Premier League | Features | Legendary Teams
The night Manchester City finally wrested the Premier League crown from their cross-town rivals in 2012 has become one of the competition’s defining finales. The Citizens entered the last day knowing anything less than victory would hand the trophy to Manchester United.
When the clock ticked past 90 minutes City were 2-1 down to Queens Park Rangers. Edin Džeko’s header offered a glimmer of hope. Then, with only seconds remaining, Sergio Agüero’s now-mythic strike at 93:20 sent the Etihad into delirium and left football fans everywhere stunned.
The moment will never be forgotten—nor will the players who made it possible. Here is what became of every member of that celebrated side.
The Class of 2012
Goalkeeper: Joe Hart
Just 25 at the time, Hart was firmly established as No. 1 for both City and England. Two years later he added a second league winner’s medal, yet when Pep Guardiola arrived in 2016 he made clear the keeper did not fit his plans. After spells with Torino, West Ham, Burnley and Tottenham, Hart has guarded Celtic’s net in the Scottish Premiership since 2021.
Right-Back: Pablo Zabaleta
The Argentine began the season behind Micah Richards but reclaimed his starting berth down the stretch, even opening the scoring against QPR. A cult hero thanks to his wholehearted style, he left in 2017 for West Ham and retired three years later. Zabaleta now appears regularly as a television pundit.
Centre-Back: Joleon Lescott
Lescott’s mis-clearance allowed Djibril Cissé to equalise, yet judging him on that slip would be harsh—he was a model of consistency over five campaigns. Post-retirement he returned to City to oversee overseas loanees and is also on Lee Carsley’s England Under-21 coaching staff.
Centre-Back: Vincent Kompany
Immortalised in bronze outside the Etihad, Kompany captained the club through its most successful era. His 11-year stay outlasted even Sheikh Mansour’s takeover and ended in 2019 with a tearful farewell—capped by a thunderous 30-metre winner against Leicester that all but secured another title. Kompany moved straight into management and now leads Burnley.
Left-Back: Gaël Clichy
Recruited from Arsenal alongside Samir Nasri, Clichy helped end City’s 44-year wait for a league crown. He shared duties with Aleksandar Kolarov before departing in 2017 after 203 appearances. The Frenchman signed for Swiss outfit Servette in 2020.
Midfielder: Samir Nasri
Always tipped for stardom, Nasri truly sparkled once Manuel Pellegrini took charge, but became a fringe player under Guardiola. After loans and short stints with Sevilla, West Ham and Anderlecht, he served a lengthy UEFA doping ban and called time on his career in 2021.
Midfielder: Gareth Barry
One of City’s unsung heroes, Barry was key in elevating the club from mid-table to champions. He left in 2013 yet played on for another eight seasons with Everton and West Brom, eventually setting the Premier League appearance record at 653 matches—134 of them for City. Barry retired in August 2020.
Midfielder: Yaya Touré
Surplus to requirements at Barcelona, Touré reinvented himself at City as a dominant, box-to-box force and towered over eight remarkable seasons. Now armed with a UEFA A licence, he is pursuing a coaching career and has his eye on future Premier League opportunities.
Midfielder: David Silva
After a decade of wizardry Silva departed in 2020 without the send-off he deserved, the pandemic forcing an empty Etihad. With 14 trophies, plus World Cup and European Championship glory for Spain, he is enshrined among City’s all-time greats. Silva continues to weave magic in La Liga for Real Sociedad.
Forward: Carlos Tévez
The 2011/12 campaign was turbulent for Tévez, who clashed with Roberto Mancini and was benched for refusing to warm up against Bayern Munich. Reinstated in February, he played his part in the run-in before joining Juventus in 2013. Tévez quit playing at 37 and briefly coached Rosario Central, recording six wins in 24 matches.
Forward: Sergio Agüero
Agüero’s stoppage-time winner defined not only the season but his career, capping a sensational debut year. “Kun” went on to smash Eric Brook’s 1939 club scoring record, amassing 260 goals and five league titles. A heart condition forced his early retirement soon after a 2021 move to Barcelona.
Substitute: Mario Balotelli
Mancini placed great faith in his former Inter protégé, but Balotelli seldom justified the hype. His pass for Agüero—the only assist of his City career—proved priceless. He later bounced between Milan, Liverpool, Nice, Marseille, Brescia and Monza and has not played for Italy since 2018. Now at Swiss side Sion, Balotelli has admitted leaving City was “the biggest mistake” of his career.
Substitute: Edin Džeko
The Bosnian rekindled belief with his 92nd-minute header and remains a folk hero. After four more years in Manchester he excelled for Roma and currently leads the line for Inter.
Substitute: Nigel de Jong
Often deployed from the bench, De Jong’s introduction allowed Touré to surge forward when City needed a spark. Not in Mancini’s long-term plans, he moved to Milan and later played for LA Galaxy, Galatasaray, Mainz and clubs in Qatar before retiring in 2021. De Jong now works as a broadcast analyst and runs a luxury-car business.