Best Manchester City XI of All Time

After the Man City Premier League title in 2011, the word big six entered the English football vocabulary. Despite the golden age of the club in recent years, many great players have played for the club for more than a century. The players who, unlike today's team, are not the most expensive players in the world.

In 2008, signing Robinho with $40 million price tag, considered a waste of money. There are defenders in the current

squad worth more than seventy million dollars. The best players are not necessarily the most expensive ones. For a club as big as Manchester City, choosing the

Manchester City best XI of all time

is not easy. Let's not forget that the game between Manchester City and

, which was the record for the most attendances in English football for many years, was held at Maine Road Stadium in 1934. 

In the last ten years, Manchester City has undoubtedly been the best team in the

. But it was during this period that

surprised everyone with their championship. Today, when we watch the Manchester derby, we must keep in mind that the financial value of the combination of the two teams is worth nearly two million dollars.

Here is the list of best Manchester city XI of all time:

There are many great players who could be on this list. But due to the limited number they are missing.

Goal Keep - Joe Corrigan

Choosing the goalkeeper was the most challenging one in the

Manchester City best 11 of all time

. 

, with a very good performance in recent years, created happy memories for football fans. He won four Golden Gloves and won numerous team awards. But in the Manchester City’s greatest all-time XI, Joe Corrigan fills the goalkeeper position. He is the second most capped player for Manchester City with 604 appearances in every competition. His physical appearance was perfect for the role.

Joe Corrigan joined the club at the age of 19 from the Manchester City youth team. He spent 16 seasons at Manchester City. After two seasons in 1969, he became the number one in Manchester City's line-up. In that season, Man City won the League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup to become the first English team to win both a European and a domestic cup in the same season. In 1976 he again won the League Cup with Manchester City.

Corrigan received the Manchester City Player of the Year award that year. Later he won this award two more times in 1978 and 1980. However, his chances in the

were limited by OBE Peter Shilton. He has capped in nine national matches. Bert Trautmann was the alternative for the goal keeper role in the

Manchester City’s greatest XI of all time.

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Right Back - Pablo Zabaleta

Zabaleta joined a day before Sheikh Mansour became the Manchester City owner. From the first season, he became a crucial part of Manchester City's line-up. During nine seasons in Man City, he won all four of English football's major honors. The first one was the world's oldest football knockout competition; the FA Cup. This championship was the prelude to next year's championship in the Premier League 2011–12. 

He received offers from Italian teams Juventus and Roma but stayed in the club. His other titles with Manchester City are 2013–14 and 2015–16 Football League Cup championships and 2012

. Pablo Zabaleta won the Premier League once again in 2013–14 season. He was named one of the Premier League's best Argentinians ever. He was one of the top six among the Argentinians because, with 303 Premier League appearances, he super pass other compatriots.

Pablo Zabaleta played in 58 international matches for Argentina including 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2015 Copa America. In both tournaments Argentina reached the final but lost them both and finished as runner up. Zabaleta was in PFA Team of the Year because of his performances in 2012–13 Premier League. He also won the Manchester City Player of the Month for three times in January 2009, December 2012 and January 2013.

Center Back - Richard Dunne

The Irish defender is the third one in the

all-time greatest XI of Manchester City

. Before joining Manchester City, Richard Dunne spent the early years of his career in Everton. His breakthrough was in the 1999–2000 season, he played in 31 Premier League matches for

. In 2000–01 mid-season transfer window Dunne left Everton to join Manchester City. In his first season, Manchester City relegated to Football League First Division.

His title with Manchester City was Football League First Division championship. After promotion, he spent eight seasons in the Premier League with Manchester City. His number of consistent performances during this era resulted in receiving Manchester City's Player of the Year award for 2004–05. He also won the award three more times in the 2005–06, 2006–07, and 2007–08 seasons. Richard Dunne has the record for the Manchester City's Player of the Year award.

In 2010 he was named in the PFA Team of the Year. Richard Dunne capped in 80 international matches for the Republic of Ireland. He won The FAI International Football Awards twice in 2007 and 2011 for the best Republic of Ireland international footballers of the year. Another record that Richard Dunne holds is the most red-card dismissals with eight times in Premier League alongside Patrick Vieira and Duncan Ferguson.

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Center Back - Vincent Kompany

Kompany has been described as one of the best defenders in world football and he is in the Manchester City’s best ever XI. His physical strength and excellent aerial ability combined with good mobility and accurate tackles made a perfect defender out of him. The Belgian defender began his professional career in

. After three seasons in the Belgian First Division, he joined Hamburg in 2006. Despite his Achilles injury and lack of involvement in Hamburg, he was selected in a 30-man provisional squad for the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. 

The next year, Kompany signed a contract with Manchester City, and became one of the

best Manchester City XI of all time

. He immediately became the main man in the defensive line for the Citizens. Kompany was firmly installed as club captain for the 2011–12 season that ended with him lifting the Premier League championship trophy in the same season. He played eleven seasons for Manchester City which resulted in four Premier League titles as the captain.

Two FA Cups, four League Cups, and two FA Community Shield championships are other titles he won as a Citizen. During the magnificent career of Vincent Kompany, he received numerous individual awards like Premier League Player of the Season in 2011–12 and was named one of the PFA Team of the Year three times.

Left Back - Glyn Pardoe

At the very beginning of his career, Glyn Pardoe was an attacker but in 1966 his position changed to left back, and remained a full back to the end of his career. His cousin Alan Oakes holds Manchester City's record for appearances so it is not a surprise when we find out Glyn Pardoe a One club man. He made his debut against Birmingham City while he was 15 years old. That is a record for Manchester City's youngest ever player.

In total, as one of the

best Manchester City XI of all time

, he played 380 matches for City and scored 22 goals. In 1968 he won the Football League First Division and FA Charity Shield with Man City. The following year, it was FA Cup that they won. Winning the Football League Cup and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1970 were the last titles Glyn Pardoe won in Man City. A heavy injury in 1970 occurred that shortened Paedoe's career. During the Manchester derby against Manchester United, he broke his leg. After two years, he came back but he lasted only two more seasons and retired.

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Defensive midfielder - Yaya Toure

Yaya Toure is one of the most prominent players and one of the best Manchester City XI of all time. Intercepting without trouble in defense and then constructing a counter attack using his fast pace made a weapon of him. His various abilities were useful in both defensive and offensive phases in the game. In

, he often played as a full back. In 2008–09 Toure won every possible trophy with Barcelona: La Liga,

, Supercopa de Espana, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super cup, and FIFA Club World Cup. 

After winning La Liga for the second time in the following season he left Barcelona. Manchester City was where he draws all the attention. In his first season, Manchester City won the FA Cup and after that three Premier League championships in 2011–12, 2013–14, 2017–18. As one of the best Manchester City XI of all time, he was named Manchester City Player of the Year in 2013–14 and African Footballer of the Year in four consecutive years between 2011 to 2014.Samuel Eto'o and Yaya Toure are the players who have won the award the most times. Toure was in PFA Team of the Year two times in 2011–12 and 2013–14. He was also one of the ESM Team of the Year in 2013–14.

Midfielder - Colin Bell

Colin Bell is regarded as one of the best English footballers of all time. In the late '60s and early '70s, he won numerous trophies: Football League First Division, FA Cup, FA Charity Shield, Football League Cup, and European Cup Winners' Cup. Colin Bell is one of the Football League 100 Legends and best Manchester City XI of all time. He is inducted into the Manchester City Hall of Fame and also the English Football Hall of Fame. Bell is often regarded as one of England’s best attacking midfielders and was voted Manchester City's all-time cult hero by BBC Football Focus. 

He played 14 seasons for Manchester City and capped in 394 league matches and scored 117 goals. Colin Bell is the fourth all-time top goal scorers of Manchester City. In the 1974–75 season, he scored fifteen league goals and was named in the 1974–75 Football League First Division PFA Team of the Year. Right after this season, he suffered a serious knee injury. The injury almost ended his career as a footballer. He was one of the best Manchester City XI of all time that injury forced him to early retirement.

Midfielder - David Silva

David Silva, who now plays in La Liga Club

, had been in Manchester City for 10 years and is one of the

best Manchester City XI of all time

. He mainly plays as a central or an attacking midfielder, but can also be a winger or second striker. His passing ability and possession retaining qualities have earned him the nicknames “Merlin” and “El Mago” from his teammates and fans. He is considered one of the best midfielders of his generation, one of the most technically gifted players of all time, and one of the Manchester City best XI of all time.

Before Manchester City, a product of Valencia’s youth system, he played two seasons for Eibar and Celta de Vigo on loan. Then he returned to

, becoming an automatic first choice despite that he was 20 years old. For four years in Valencia, he scored 31 goals and assisted in 33 in a total of 166 games he played and managed to win a Copa del Ray. 

10 years in Man City, he won countless individuals including Top Assist Provider, Player of the Season/Month, Best Playmaker award, and Most Goal Contributions in like Premier League and UEFA Championship. 

Being one of the Manchester City best 11 of all time, in 436 games, he managed 44 goals and 141 assists for Man City. During this time man city won four Premier League Championships, 2 FA Cups, 5 Football League/EFL Cups, and three Community shields. 

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Midfielder - Kevin De Bruyne

De Bruyne is a Belgian footballer who plays in the Belgian national team. He is recognized for his exceptional passing, shooting, and dribbling abilities, and is one of the Manchester City best 11 of all time. He began his career in

and then joined

. But he was used sparingly and loaned to Werder Bremen. After a season, he joined Wolfsburg for £18 million.

In 2014-15 season, he managed 16 goals and 28 assists in 51 games. During the season, he won

Player of the Year, Bundesliga Team of the Year, UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season, Footballer of the Year (Germany), France Football World XI, And Belgian Sportsman of the Year. Also, the team won the DFB Pokal and DFL Super cup.

In the following season, he joined Manchester City for a club record of £54 million. Since then, he scored 59 goals and had 99 assists in 237 total games. He managed to win the Man City player of the season three times, a Man city Goal of the Season award, 2 Premier League Playmaker of the season with 16 and 20 assists, a premier league player of the season and…. Since he joined the club, they have won four league cups, 2 Premier League championships, a super cup, and a FA cup. With numerous awards in the club, he truly is one of the Manchester City’s greatest XI of all time.

Forward - Eric Brook

Erick brook was an English football player, who is one of the all-time greatest XI of Manchester City and England. He could play anywhere on the pitch if he was needed. He replaced an Injured goalkeeper at least three times over the course of his career including when Man City played Arsenal in 1938. Before that he was in Barnsley and played 78 times scoring 18 goals. 

In 1928 Brook and Fred Tilson, his teammate, was transferred to Man City for a fee of £6,000 combined. He was described as on the small side but a clever winger. Before WWI, he played eleven years in Manchester City in 450 games and scored 158 goals. While in Man City, he won a FA cup, a football league first division and FA community shield both in 1937.  During this period, he played for the national team 18 times and scored 10 goals.

Playing for the national team, he won three British Home Championships. He is listed as the seventh in Ian Penney's book, The Essential History of Manchester City and fourth in the Manchester Evening News. Since he has been inducted in Man city Hall of Fame, he is qualified to be one of the Manchester City’s best ever XI.

Forward - Sergio Aguero

Aguero is the striker on the list of

Manchester City’s greatest all-time XI

. He also plays in the Argentine national team. He is considered one of the best strikers of his generation and one of the best players in Premier League history.Sergio began his career in Argentina Independiente in 2003. Before that, he was in the club’s youth team for six years. Until 2006 he played 54 times and scored 23 times. He became the youngest player in Argentine Primera Division breaking the record of Maradona (1976). 

In 2006, he moved to Atletico Madrid for a transfer fee of €23 million. During his time in La Liga, he played in 230 games, scoring 100 goals and 46 assists, while winning the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup. He established himself as one of the best young players in Europe and won the Don Balón Award, Tuttosport Golden Boy and World Soccer Young Player of the Year. 

Aguero joined Manchester City in July 2011 for an undisclosed fee in the region of £35 million. Since then, he has won four Premier League championships, five EFL cups, three FA Community Shields, and a FA cup. In total, he played 376 times for Man City, scoring 256 goals and 73 assists. In 2017, he became Manchester City's all-time highest goal-scorer, scoring his 178th City goal against Napoli. 

He was named to the PFA Team of the Year in two consecutive seasons. He is currently the 4th highest goal scorer in Premier League history, and the highest non-English scorer in the history of the competition. He also holds the record for most hat-tricks in the Premier League and he won the Premier League Golden Boot in the 2014–15 season. Considering all these titles he really deserves to be on the list of

Manchester City best 11 of all time

.

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