Manchester City and Real Madrid kicked off the 2024 Champions League Round of 16 with victories on Tuesday, taking down Copenhagen and RB Leipzig respectively.
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo Headline EA Sports FC 24 Team of the Year Nominees
Jan 7, 2024
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - NOVEMBER 21: Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates with his teammates after winning the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier match between Brazil and Argentina at Maracana Stadium on November 21, 2023 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Marcello Dias/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Over the last 12 months, soccer's biggest stars have been making their case to be included in EA Sports FC 24's Team of the Year, and now we finally know which players are eligible to be selected for the squad.
The 2024 Team of the Year is special as it will include a Women's Team of the Year for the first time ever.
While the full list of nominees will be announced at 11 a.m. ET, here's a look into the Premier League and Women's Super League nominees.
Men's Team of the Year Nominees
Alisson, GK, Liverpool
Ederson, GK, Manchester City
Virgil van Dijk, DEF, Liverpool
Rúben Dias, DEF, Manchester City
Trent Alexander-Arnold, DEF, Liverpool
John Stones, DEF, Manchester City
William Saliba, DEF, Arsenal
Kevin De Bruyne, MF, Manchester City
Rodri, MF, Manchester City
Bernardo Silva, MF, Manchester City
Martin Ødegaard, MF, Arsenal
Declan Rice, MF, Arsenal
Bruno Guimarães, MF, Newcastle
Kaoru Mitoma, MF, Brighton
Jack Grealish, MF, Manchester City
Jarrod Bowen, FW, West Ham
Erling Haaland, FW, Manchester City
Mohamed Salah, FW, Liverpool
Son Heung-min, FW, Tottenham
Bukayo Saka, FW, Arsenal
Gregor Kobel, GK, Borussia Dortmund
Mike Maignan, GK, AC Milan
Jan Oblak, GK, Atlético Madrid
Brice Samba, GK, Lens
Wojciech Szczęsny, GK, Juventus
Marc-André ter Stegen, GK, Barcelona
Alessandro Bastoni, DEF, Inter Milan
Gleison Bremer, DEF, Juventus
Jonathan Clauss, DEF, Marseille
Dante, DEF, Nice
Giovanni Di Lorenzo, DEF, Napoli
Federico Dimarco, DEF, Inter Milan
Jeremie Frimpong, DEF, Bayer Leverkusen
José Gayà, DEF, Valencia
Álex Grimaldo, DEF, Bayer Leverkusen
Theo Hernández, DEF, AC Milan
Mats Hummels, DEF, Borussia Dortmund
Jesús Navas, DEF, Sevilla
Kim Min Jae, DEF, Bayern Munich
Jules Koundé, DEF, Barcelona
Marquinhos, DEF, Paris Saint-Germain
Lucas Martínez-Quarta, DEF, Fiorentina
Nicolás Otamendi, DEF, Benfica
Aleix Garcia, MF, Girona
Nicolò Barella, MF, Inter Milan
Jude Bellingham, MF, Real Madrid
Julian Brandt, MF, Borussia Dortmund
Federico Chiesa, MF, Juvenus
Aleksander Golovin, MF, Monaco
Vincenzo Grifo, MF, Freiburg
İlkay Gündoğan, MF, Barcelona
Toni Kroos, MF, Real Madrid
Riyad Mahrez, MF, Al-Ahli
Sergej Milinković-Savić, MF, Al-Hilal
Luka Modrić, MF, Real Madrid
Jamal Musiala, MF, Bayern Munich
Pedri, MF, Barcelona
Adrien Rabiot, MF, Juventus
Leroy Sané, MF, Bayern Munich
Aurélien Tchouaméni, MF, Real Madrid
Federico Valverde, MF, Real Madrid
Florian Wirtz, MF, Bayer Leverkusen
Granit Xhaka, MF, Bayer Leverkusen
Karim Benzema, FW, Al-Ittihad
Domenico Berardi, FW, Sassuolo
Cristiano Ronaldo, FW, Al-Nassr
Ousmane Dembélé, FW, Paris Saint-Germain
Gerard Moreno, FW, Villarreal
Antoine Griezmann, FW, Atlético Madrid
Serhou Guirassy, FW, Stuttgart
Harry Kane, FW, Bayern Munich
Randal Kolo Muani, FW, Paris Saint-Germain
Takefusa Kubo, FW, Real Sociedad
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, FW, Napoli
Lee Kang In, FW, Paris Saint-Germain
Robert Lewandowski, FW, Barcelona
Lautaro Martínez, FW, Inter Milan
Kylian Mbappé, FW, Paris Saint-Germain
Lionel Messi, FW, Inter Miami
Álvaro Morata, FW, Atlético Madrid
Loïs Openda, FW, RB Leipzig
Victor Osimhen, FW, Napoli
Rafael Leão, FW, AC Milan
Mehdi Taremi, FW, Porto
Vinícius Júnior, FW, Real Madrid
The highlights of the Premier League nominees include Manchester City's Erling Haaland, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, Tottenham's Heung-min Son and Arsenal's Bukayo Saka.
Haaland has been one of the best players in the Premier League since making his debut with The Citizens during the 2021-22 season following a transfer from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund.
The Norwegian has appeared in 15 Premier League matches for Manchester City this season. He's tied for the league lead in goals with 14 tallies and has also notched four assists.
In part thanks to Haaland, Manchester City is third in the Premier League with a 12-4-3 (W-D-L) record and 40 points.
Additionally, Haaland has notched five goals and one assist in five UEFA Champions League matches this year, helping Manchester City clinch a berth in the tournament's round of 16 against Superliga club Copenhagen.
Salah has also been one of the league's top strikers this season and is tied with Haaland for the Premier League lead in goals with 14. He also ranks first in the league with eight assists.
The Egyptian has helped Liverpool to the top of the Premier League table with a 13-6-1 record and 45 points.
Additionally, Salah has tallied three goals and one assist in five UEFA Europa League matches, helping The Reds clinch a berth in the round of 16 in March.
Son, who has been with Tottenham since 2015, ranks third in the Premier League with 12 goals in 20 matches. He has also tallied five assists to help the Spurs to fifth in the table with a 12-3-5 record.
As for Saka, he has notched six goals and six assists in 19 Premier League matches, helping Arsenal to fourth in the table with a 12-4-4 record.
The 22-year-old has also tallied three goals and four assists in five Champions League matches, helping the Gunners clinch a berth in the round of 16 against Liga Portugal's Porto.
Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham has emerged as perhaps the best player in the world in his first season with the Spanish club.
The 20-year-old leads La Liga with 13 goals in 17 league matches and he has also added two assists to help Real Madrid to the top of the league table with a 15-3-1 record.
Bellingham has also been brilliant in the Champions League, tallying four goals and three assists in five games to help Los Blancos secure a berth in the round of 16 against Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.
With how Bellingham has performed, he has etched his name alongside the likes of Haaland, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappé as one of the world's most elite soccer players.
Considering he's only 20, there's likely nothing but great things in store for his future.
Women's Team of the Year Nominees
Mary Earps, GK, Manchester United
Katie McCabe, DEF, Arsenal
Millie Bright, DEF, Chelsea
Amanda Ilestedt, DEF, Arsenal
Niamh Charles, DEF, Chelsea
Frida Maanum, MF, Arsenal
Guro Reiten, MF, Chelsea
Sam Kerr, FW, Chelsea
Lauren Hemp, FW, Manchester City
Rachel Daly, FW, Aston Villa
Khadija Shaw, FW, Manchester City
Chloe Kelly, FW, Manchester City
Bethany England, FW, Tottenham
Jane Campbell, GK, Houston Dash
Christiane Endler, GK, Lyon
Merle Frohms, GK, Wolfsburg
Chiamaka Nnadozie, GK, Paris FC
Selma Bacha, DEF, Lyon
Ellie Carpenter, DEF, Lyon
Naomi Girma, DEF, San Diego Wave
Irene Paredes, DEF, Barcelona
Sakina Karchaoui, DEF, Paris Saint-Germain
Mapi León, DEF, Barclona
Jenna Nighswonger, DEF, NJ/NY Gotham
Olga Carmona, DEF, Real Madrid
Ona Batlle, DEF, Barcelona
Wendie Renard, DEF, Lyon
Fridolina Rolfö, DEF, Barcelona
Glódís Viggósdóttir, DEF, Bayern Munich
Aitana Bonmatí, MF, Barcelona
Alexia Putellas, MF, Barcelona
Estefanía Banini, MF, Atlético Madrid
Sam Coffey, MF, Portland Thorns
Debinha, MF, Kansas City Current
Barbara Dunst, MF, Eintracht Frankfurt
Grace Geyoro, MF, Paris Saint-Germain
Kerolin Nicoli, MF, North Carolina Courage
Clara Matéo, MF, Paris FC
Janina Minge, MF, Freiburg
Lena Oberdorf, MF, Wolfsburg
Patri Guijarro, MF, Barcelona
Leicy Santos, MF, Atlético Madrid
Georgia Stanway, MF, Bayern Munich
Gaëtane Thiney, MF, Paris FC
Keira Walsh, MF, Barcelona
Caroline Weir, MF, Real Madrid
Alba Redondo, FW, Levante,
Linda Caicedo, FW, Real Madrid
Tabitha Chawinga, FW, Paris Saint-Germain
Kadidiatou Diani, FW, Lyon
Caroline Hansen, FW, Barcelona
Melissa Kössler, FW, Hoffenheim
Racheal Kundananji, FW, Madrid CFF
Eugénie Le Sommer, FW, Lyon
Ewa Pajor, FW, Wolfsburg
Alexandra Popp, FW, Wolfsburg
Trinity Rodman, FW, Washington Spirit
Salma Paralluelo, FW, Barcelona
Lea Schüller, FW, Bayern Munich
Sophia Smith, FW, Portland Thorns
Lynn Williams, FW, NJ/NY Gotham
The highlights of the Women's Super League nominees include Manchester United's Mary Earps, Chelsea's Sam Kerr and Manchester City's Khadija Shaw.
Earps is considered one of the best goalkeepers in women's soccer as she's allowing just 1.10 goals per 90 minutes this season in the WSL and has helped Manchester United to fourth in the league table with a 5-3-2 record.
Kerr has also long been considered one of the best striker's in the sport. She has notched four goals and two assists in eight WSL matches this season and has added five goals and one assist in four Champions League matches.
In part thanks to Kerr, Chelsea sit atop the WSL standings with an 8-1-1 record. The Blues are still competing in the group stage of the Champions League.
Shaw has been the top goalscorer in the WSL this season as she leads the league with nine goals in nine games for Manchester City, in addition to notching two assists.
Man City sits second in the WSL with a 7-1-2 record.
Much like Bellingham, Alexia Putellas has made her mark on the soccer world and has emerged as one of the best female players in the game.
The 29-year-old has tallied three goals and one assist in eight games for Barcelona this season and the club sits atop the Primera División with a 12-0-0 record. She has also notched two goals in one Champions League match.
Sophia Smith is another women's player that has had a phenomenal year. During the 2023 season with the Portland Thorns, she tallied 11 goals and five assists in 17 games to help the club finish second in the NWSL with a 10-5-7 record.
Team of the Year Voting Information
Team of the Year voting begins Jan. 8 at 11 a.m. ET. For more information, visit EA.com.
Pep Guardiola Undergoes Back Surgery, Will Miss Manchester City's Next 2 Matches
Aug 22, 2023
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 19: Josep 'Pep' Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, looks on prior to the Premier League match between Manchester City and Newcastle United at Etihad Stadium on August 19, 2023 in Manchester, England. (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Pep Guardiola will miss Manchester City's next two matches after undergoing successful surgery on his back.
The club announced on Tuesday that Guardiola had a routine procedure to address "severe back pain" and he is "expected" back after the international break on Sept. 16:
"The Manchester City boss has been suffering with severe back pain for some time lately, and flew out to Barcelona for emergency surgery performed by Dr Mireia Illueca. The surgery was a success, and Pep will now recover and rehabilitate in Barcelona.
"In his absence, assistant manager Juanma Lillo will oversee coaching of the first team on the training field and will assume duties on the touchline until Pep's return. He is expected to return after the forthcoming international break.
"Everyone at Manchester City wishes Pep a speedy recovery, and look forward to seeing him back in Manchester soon."
Guardiola will miss the upcoming fixtures against Sheffield United on Aug. 27 and Fulham on Sept. 2 before the international break.
Lillo returned to Manchester City as part of Guardiola's staff earlier this month. He previously spent two seasons as an assistant with the club from 2022 to '22.
The 57-year-old spent the 2022-23 season as head coach of Al Sadd in the Qatar Stars League. Al Sadd finished third in the league and had a runner-up finish in the Amir Cup.
Guardiola is in his seventh year as City's manager. He has a 302-57-58 record with the club and led them to five Premier League titles, including each of the last three, the latter of which was part of a historic treble including the Champions League and FA Cup.
Manchester City has opened the 2023-24 Premier League season with wins over Newcastle United and Burnley. It also defeated Sevilla on penalty kicks in the UEFA Super Cup on Aug. 16.
Barring any setbacks in his recovery, Guardiola is expected back for the Sept. 16 match against West Ham United at London Stadium.
Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne out 'A While' with Hamstring Injury, Guardiola Says
Aug 11, 2023
BURNLEY, ENGLAND - AUGUST 11: Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City reacts after sustaining an injury during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and Manchester City at Turf Moor on August 11, 2023 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Manchester City got some tough news on Kevin De Bruyne's hamstring injury.
Sky Blues manager Pep Guardiola told reporters after Friday's 3-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor that De Bruyne "will be out for a while" with the hamstring ailment suffered in the club's Premier League season opener.
"He was injured again unfortunately," Guardiola said. "Same place and position as the Champions League final."
De Bruyne was forced out of Friday's game in the 22nd minute with the ailment and replaced by Mateo Kovacic.
The Belgian midfielder was being eased into the 2023-24 season after suffering a similar hamstring injury in the Champions League final against Inter Milan in June. He revealed after the final that he wasn't 100 percent for the second half of the 2022-23 campaign.
Losing De Bruyne is a tough blow for Manchester City, which is aiming to win the Premier League for the fourth straight season.
Guardiola's side already entered Friday down defenders Ruben Dias and John Stones. Stones missed the match due to injury while Dias was held out because he was not fit enough to play.
While it's unclear how long De Bruyne will be out, he'll almost surely miss the club's UEFA Super Cup match against Sevilla on Wednesday.
Manchester City's next Premier League match is set for Aug. 19 against Newcastle.
Burnley vs. Manchester City: Top Highlights from 2023 Premier League Match
Aug 11, 2023
BURNLEY, ENGLAND - AUGUST 11: Erling Haaland of Manchester City celebrates after scoring the team's first goal during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and Manchester City at Turf Moor on August 11, 2023 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)
The Premier League is officially back.
Newly-promoted Burnley are hosting reigning champion Manchester City at Turf Moor on Friday in the opening match of the 2023-24 Premier League season.
While the likes of Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez departed Manchester City this summer, the club still boasts one of the most talented rosters in the EPL with Erling Haaland joined by new additions in Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol.
The Sky Blues are aiming to win the Premier League for the fourth straight season, and a win against Burnley will see them off to a strong start.
Burnley, meanwhile, are back in the Premier League for the first time since 2021-22 after winning the Championship. They'll be looking to build upon that success under boss Vincent Kompany.
Follow along for some of the top highlights from Friday's season opener.
75' - A third goal for Manchester City as Rodri deposits the loose ball in the box to put his side up 3-0.
🚨 ¡¡YA ES GOLEADAAAAA!!
🇪🇸 Rodri aprovecha un rebote y marca el tercero del encuentro para los campeones.#BurnleyFC 0-3 #ManCity
David Silva Retires After Knee Injury: Manchester City Legend Won World Cup in 2010
Jul 27, 2023
SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN - MAY 13: David Silva of Real Sociedad in action during the LaLiga Santander match between Real Sociedad and Girona FC at Reale Arena on May 13, 2023 in San Sebastian, Spain. (Photo by Ion Alcoba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Longtime Manchester City midfielder David Silva announced his retirement from soccer Thursday at the age of 37.
Silva made it official with a video statement on Twitter, saying it was a "sad day" for him to step away from the sport he loves:
Per BBC Sport, Silva decided to retire after suffering a serious knee injury to his ACL during training with Real Sociedad last week.
In addition to being a four-time English Premier League champion at Manchester City, Silva won the FIFA World Cup with Spain in 2010.
After beginning his professional career with Valencia B in 2003, followed by brief stints at Eibar and Celta Vigo, Silva played four seasons at Valencia, scoring 32 goals across all competitions for the club.
Manchester City landed Silva on a transfer in 2010, and he went on to enjoy the greatest success of his career at Etihad Stadium.
Silva, who was nicknamed Merlin thanks to his mesmerizing skill as an attacking midfielder, appeared in 436 matches across all competitions for City, scoring 77 times.
Along with his four EPL titles, Silva won the FA Cup twice, the FA Community Shield twice and the EFL Cup on five occasions.
Individually, Silva led the EPL in assists during the 2011-12 season, and he was named the Manchester City Player of the Season in 2016-17.
Silva spent the final three seasons of his career with La Liga club Real Sociedad, scoring seven goals in 93 matches, and winning the 2019-20 Copa del Rey.
As good as Silva was as a club player, the Spaniard was arguably at his best when representing his country internationally.
Silva earned 125 appearances for the Spanish senior national team during his career, scoring 35 times.
As a member of La Roja, Silva won the 2010 World Cup and both the 2008 and 2012 UEFA European Championship.
Perhaps the biggest goal of his international goal came at Euro 2012 when he netted the first goal of what turned out to be a 4-0 win over Italy in the final.
From 2008 to 2012, Spain enjoyed one of the greatest runs of any national team in history, and there is no question that Silva's contributions played a significant role in their success.
Erling Haaland Named EA Sports FC 24 Cover Star; Trailer, Pre-order Details Revealed
Jul 13, 2023
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - JUNE 10: Erling Haaland of Manchester City celebrates the UEFA Champions league title with his trophy after winning FC Internazionale during the UEFA Champions League 2022/23 final match between FC Internazionale and Manchester City FC at Ataturk Olympic Stadium on June 10, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Erling Haaland is at the top of the soccer world after helping Manchester City capture its first-ever Champions League title and a treble.
So, it should come as no surprise that the Norwegian phenom was named the EA Sports FC 24 cover athlete on Thursday, replacing Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappé and Australia's Samantha Kerr as the face of the game.
Haaland is the first cover athlete for the rebranded video game that had been known as EA Sports FIFA for nearly 30 years. EA Sports FC was announced last year when the company failed to come to terms with FIFA on a licensing agreement.
EA Sports FC 24 is available for preorder on multiple platforms, including Xbox, Playstation, Nintendo Switch and Steam. Both the standard edition and ultimate edition are available for preorder, but preordering the ultimate edition comes with additional perks, including up to seven days of early access and 4,600 FC points.
EA Sports FC officially launches on Sept. 29.
Report: Pep Guardiola Could Leave Manchester City After Contract Expires in 2025
Jun 12, 2023
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - JUNE 10: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola with the Champions League Trophy after winning the UEFA Champions League 2022/23 final match between FC Internazionale and Manchester City FC at Atatuerk Olympic Stadium on June 10, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Michael Regan - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been cryptic about his future at the club before, but finally guiding City to a UEFA Champions League title might have him seriously weighing his options.
ESPN's Rob Dawson reported Monday that Guardiola "has not yet made a decision on his future but is leaning towards ending his time in charge at the Etihad Stadium after two more seasons."
The 52-year-old's contract runs through the 2024-25 campaign. Dawson wrote the legendary manager believes "he has already stayed at the club longer than he envisioned when he took over in 2016 and has doubts about whether he will want to negotiate a new contract next summer."
Manchester City secured its fifth Premier League title in six seasons this year, and that kind of domestic dominance might lead to a manager feeling a bit restless. The quest for Champions League glory at least presented Guardiola with a fresh challenge.
Now, the project he embarked upon seven years ago is basically complete, so it's understandable why he might start contemplating an exit plan.
The specter of Manchester City's alleged financial fair play breaches lingers as well. Guardiola might be out of the picture entirely if the hammer eventually falls on the club.
Thanks to Guardiola's management and the ownership's limitless well of funding, City has built a perpetual winning machine. Whether that can continue with a new manager at the helm might be put to the test in a few years.
Top Winners and Losers After Champions League 2023 Final
Jun 10, 2023
Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan (C) lifts the European Cup trophy as they celebrate on the podium after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, on June 10, 2023. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
Manchester City have completed a historic treble and are finally kings of the UEFA Champions League, defeating Inter Milan 1-0 in the 2023 UCL Final on Saturday at Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul.
It's been a long time coming for the Sky Blues, which fell to Chelsea in the 2021 UCL Final before a disappointing semifinal loss to eventual champion Real Madrid last year.
Manchester City needed just one goal to win its first Champions League title, and Rodri delivered in the 68th minute with just his second-ever goal in the competition to lift the Premier League side to victory.
Rodri’s second-ever Champions League goal was one to 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 🚀
Inter Milan had numerous chances to capitalize in Saturday's match, but the team's inability to put the ball in the back of the net was ultimately a disappointment for the Serie A side.
Here's a look at the biggest winners and losers from this year's UCL Final.
Winners: Rodri and Ederson
Rodri, one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, is an obvious winner given his second-half goal that put Manchester City ahead. The 26-year-old is the first Sky Blues player to ever score for the club in a European Cup Final.
Rodri is the first Spaniard to score in a UCL final since Marco Asensio did so for Real Madrid in 2017.
Inter is 0-1-2 (W-D-L) when trailing at any point in the Champions League this season (all in group stage: losses vs Bayern, draw vs Barcelona) pic.twitter.com/XEZzoB6Qd1
52 - Rodri is making his 52nd start of the season for Manchester City in all competitions - across Pep Guardiola's managerial career, the only outfield player to have started more games in a single campaign under him was Lionel Messi in 2011-12 (57). Pivotal. #UCLFinalpic.twitter.com/03HJJzEkyx
While Rodri's goal was clutch, Manchester City also would not have lifted the Champions League trophy if not for the performance of Ederson, who was brilliant in goal.
Ederson made a number of crucial saves in Saturday's match, but perhaps none more important than an 88th-minute stop on Lukaku:
Rodri and Ederson are two players who don't always get the credit they deserve, but after Saturday's big win, no one will ever forget the performances that helped power Manchester City to its first title.
Loser: Romelu Lukaku
Lukaku was subbed on for Edin Džeko in the second half of Saturday's match as Inter Milan looked for life on the attacking side.
However, the Belgian striker proved to be a disappointment. He not only missed a couple of chances, but he blocked a shot by teammate Frederico Dimarco that could have tied the match.
Lukaku with a great bit of defending…for Man City. 🙈
Lukaku was expected to play a big role in Saturday's match, but he's now being considered "useless" by soccer fans across the globe. His season had been difficult due to injuries, but that's no excuse for his poor performance on the biggest stage.
The 30-year-old had been on loan to Inter Milan from Chelsea this season, and his future with the Italian club was already in question prior to Saturday's UCL Final.
Winner: Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola is one of the greatest managers in the history of soccer.
The 52-year-old joins Carlo Ancelotti, Bob Paisley, and Zinedine Zidane as the only men's managers to win the European Cup three times. He also led Barcelona to UCL titles in 2009 and 2011.
Additionally, Guardiola has won the Treble for the second time in his career, and he's the first manager to ever do it with two different clubs, having also accomplished the feat with Barcelona in 2008-09.
Pep Guardiola as a manager:
3x Champions League winner 5x Premier League winner 3x Bundesliga winner 3x LaLiga winner 3x UEFA Supercup winner 2x DFB-Pokal winner 2x FA Cup winner 2x Copa del Rey winner 4x English League Cup winner 3x Spanish Supercopa winner
Manchester City's 2023 UCL victory only solidifies Guardiola's status as one of the greatest managers to ever do it. And with how the club has played of late, there's no reason to believe he can't lead the Sky Blues to another historic win next year.
Loser: Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne can't seem to catch a break when it comes to the Champions League Final.
The Belgian midfielder was forced to exit Saturday's match after just 36 minutes due to a hamstring injury. He also exited Manchester City's appearance in the 2021 UCL Final against Chelsea after suffering a facial injury in the second half.
2021: Kevin De Bruyne goes off injured in the Champions League final
2023: Kevin De Bruyne goes off injured in the Champions League final
De Bruyne had never won the Champions League entering Saturday's contest, so he was understandably disappointed when he was subbed off in the UCL Final for the second time in three years.
Loser: Serie A
To say Serie A would be a loser is an understatement.
Italy's top flight has not seen a Champions League winner since Inter Milan defeated Bundesliga side Bayern Munich in 2010. Additionally, Inter Milan is now the third Italian club to lose a European final this year.
AS Roma fell to Sevilla on penalties in the Europa League Final and Fiorentina fell to West Ham 2-1 in the Europa Conference League Final.
Given the league's lack of success offensively on the big stage, it's clear Serie A clubs need to bring in some offensive talent heading into 2023-24 if they hope to see one of their clubs lift a major European trophy next year.
Manchester City Completes Historic Treble as Fans Laud UCL Hero Rodri vs. Inter
Jun 10, 2023
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - JUNE 10: Jack Grealish (far right) of Manchester City celebrates the opening goal scored by Rodri of Manchester City during the UEFA Champions League 2022/23 final match between FC Internazionale and Manchester City FC at Atatuerk Olympic Stadium on June 10, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Thanks to a 68th-minute goal by midfielder Rodri, Manchester City defeated Inter Milan 1-0 in the UEFA Champions Final on Saturday and become only the second English football team to win the treble.
After winning the English Premier League with 89 points this season and beating rival Manchester United 2-1 in the FA Cup Final, City needed a Champions League Final win to complete the second treble in English football history, joining the 1998-99 Manchester United squad.
Many marveled at City's historic treble on Twitter, in addition to applauding Pep Guardiola for becoming only the second manager to accomplish the feat twice in Europe:
City were playing in only their second-ever UCL Final, and they broke through with their first Champions League title by virtue of a timely Rodri goal.
Rodri broke the tie in a tightly contested affair during the second half when the ball came toward him near the top of the box, and he curved it around two Inter defenders:
Rodri’s second-ever Champions League goal was one to 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 🚀
The 26-year-old midfielder from Spain scored only two league goals this season, but on Saturday he netted what was by far the biggest goal of his career.
Manchester City fans celebrated across the globe and heaped praise on their hero on social media:
With their win, City became the third different EPL team to win the UCL in the past five years, joining Liverpool and Chelsea.
As for Inter, they were denied their eighth all-time UCL or European Cup title and are now a runner-up for the fifth time.
Even in defeat, Inter Milan have the second-most Champions League or European Cup titles ever, behind only Real Madrid's 14.
Inter were playing in their first UEFA Champions League title since 2010, which was also the last time they won the title.
City have been the Premier League's dominant team in recent years, winning three consecutive EPL titles and five of the past six, and while they were never able to parlay that into UCL glory, the drought is finally over.
