Manchester City team guide: History, trophies won and notable former players of 2025 FIFA Club World Cup club

Manchester City will go into this summer's FIFA Club World Cup still as one of the favourites despite a disappointing season by their ridiculously high standards. 

Pep Guardiola's men can still boast of being Premier League champions for four consecutive seasons, and they are still the current holders of the Club World Cup, having won the competition in 2023. 

DAZN is the only place to watch every match of the Club World Cup live and for free - download the free app now for smart TVs, smartphones, streaming devices and games consoles to start watching.

DAZN News has everything you need to know about Manchester City. 

Manchester City team guide

Location

One of the big two in Manchester, City and neighbours United split the famous city.

Since their big-money takeover, the blue half have gone from being ‘noisy neighbours’ to being the region’s dominant force.

Origin

Members of St. Mark's Church of England, West Gorton, Manchester, founded the football club that would become known as Manchester City for largely humanitarian purposes.

Two churchwardens sought to curb local gang violence and alcoholism by instituting new activities for local men, whilst high unemployment plagued East Manchester.

They became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and finally Manchester City in 1894.

Nicknames

• The Citizens (Cityzens)
• The Blues
• The Sky Blues

Trophies won

Manchester City’s Premier League win in 2024 made them the first side in English football history to ever win four league championships in a row, cementing their dominace of English football that started with the takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008. 

Their investment moved Manchester City onto the elite table of clubs in England and has seen them go on to win eight league titles since 2012, as well as nine domestic cups and their Champions League win in 2023 - one third of a historic treble. 

They are also the current holders of the FIFA Club World Cup. 

• League Championship/Premier League (10)
• FA Cup (7)
• League Cup (8)
• UEFA Champions League (1)
• UEFA Super Cup (1)
• UEFA Cup Winners Cup (1)
• FIFA Club World Cup (1)​

Notable former players

The likes of Colin Bell and Franny Lee were City heroes of the '60s and '70s, but the modern stars and their achievements have eclipsed that era as legends of the club. 

• Bert Trautmann (1949-1964) 
• Colin Bell (1966-1979)
• Francis Lee (1967-1974)
• Niall Quinn (1990-1996)
• Giorgi Kinkladze (1995-1996)
• Shaun Goater (1998-2003)
• Vincent Kompany (2008-2019)
• David Silva (2010-2020)
• Yaya Toure (2010-2018)
• Sergio Aguero (2011-2021) 
• Fernandinho (2013-2022)

Top scorer (Premier League 2024/25) - Erling Haaland (21 goals)

City’s struggles haven’t stopped the striking Viking, as has broken the thirty-goal barrier in all competitions for a third season in a row. 

Manager -  Pep Guardiola (ESP) 

2025 may not have been Pep's year, but football is still Pep's playground. 

No manager has revolutionised the game like the Spaniard, and he'll be heading into this year's FIFA Club World Cup looking to win the competition for a FOURTH time. 

How Manchester City qualified for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup

Manchester CIty are one of twelve European teams competing in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and qualify as one of the last three winners of the UEFA Champions League.

The Citiziens were victorious in the 2023 showpiece, where they earned a 1-0 victory over Inter Milan thanks to a goal from Rodri in Istanbul, Turkey.

Manchester City group, schedule at 2025 FIFA Club World Cup

Manchester City have been drawn into Group G, alongside Juventus, Al Ain and Wydad.

2025 FIFA Club World Cup live on DAZN

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More Club World Cup

• 2025 FIFA Club World Cup fixtures, groups, schedule, venues
• The wonder kids to watch out for at FIFA Club World Cup
• Ten legends to star at FIFA Club World Cup
• FIFA Club World Cup: The continental champions looking for world glory
• A guide to the 12 US Club World Cup venues
• How to watch the Club World Cup on DAZN