10 Greatest Manchester City Players Ever Ranked
Manchester City are one of the biggest clubs in England as well as Europe. They have a team full of superstars that can take on any team in the world. Many great players have played for the club in its history, even when they didn’t have the resources that they have now. In this article, let us look at some of the greatest Manchester City players ever.
Considering the impact on the club, success, consistency, loyalty and longevity, here are the 10 Greatest Manchester City Players Ever.
=10. Frank Swift [1933-1949]
Swift was a one-club man who spent his entire professional career between the posts for Manchester City, apart from wartime guest appearances elsewhere. He gained a reputation throughout the years for having enormous hands and fingers. He was capable of taking crosses off the heads of oncoming attackers and even catching the heavy leather football with just one hand. In the penalty area, he was an untouchable.
In his debut season, Swift was a key member of the team that won the FA Cup in 1933-34. Apart from the FA Cup he also won the First and Second Division titles with City. Sadly, while Swift was working as a journalist, the Munich Air Disaster took his life far too soon.
=10. Rodri [2019-2024]
Rodri has firmly established himself as a pivotal figure in Manchester City’s dominance since his arrival in 2019 from Atletico Madrid. A midfield maestro known for his composure, tactical intelligence, and impeccable passing range, Rodri quickly became the heartbeat of Pep Guardiola’s system. His ability to break up play, dictate tempo, and transition seamlessly between defense and attack has been integral to City’s domestic and European success. His crowning moment came in the 2022–23 Champions League final, where his decisive goal secured City’s first-ever European crown, helping complete a historic treble.
In 2024, Rodri’s performances earned him the ultimate individual accolade, the Ballon d’Or, a testament to his consistency and influence on the world stage. His defensive prowess, combined with his ability to deliver in clutch moments, has redefined the role of a holding midfielder. With multiple Premier League titles, FA Cups, League Cups, and a Champions League triumph already to his name, Rodri’s contributions place him among the best midfielders in football and a cornerstone of Manchester City’s ongoing success.
9. Mike Summerbee [1965-1975]
Signed by Joe Mercer, Summerbee is one-third of the glorious City triumvirate that also included Colin Bell and Francis Lee. In his first season at the club, he started every single match, the only Manchester City player to do so that season.
Playing on the right wing, he was one of the most influential players in the side which won 4 trophies in 3 seasons; including the First Division, FA Cup and League Cup between 1968 and 1970. City fans voted him Player of the Year in 1972 and 73 – and in total he made 452 appearances for the club, scoring 68 goals before leaving for Burnley in a £25,000 deal in 1975.
8. Vincent Kompany [2008-2019]
Vincent Kompany is one of the first names that spring to our mind when we talk about ‘greatest Manchester City players ever’. An absolute Manchester City hero, Kompany captained the team to four Premier League titles, and he has taken great pride in doing so. Since his arrival, he was the backbone of the Manchester City defence and his injuries resulted in poor defensive problems for the club.
Kompany was included in the Premier League Team of the Year for two years in a row in 2011 and 2012 as well as being included in the 2014 team, and won the Premier League Player of the Season in 2012. He left the club for Anderlecht in 2019, after spending more than a decade with the blue side of Manchester. He will go down as one of the Premier League’s best defenders, having been signed for just £6m in 2008.
7. Francis Lee [1967-1974]
Lee was a pivotal figure in Manchester City’s golden era during the late 1960s. Signed for a then club-record £60,000 from Bolton Wanderers in 1967, he proved worth the investment with his prolific goal-scoring ability and tenacious play. Transitioning from winger to striker, he became the spearhead of City’s attack, famously “winning” and converting penalties. His strength and determination earned him admiration from fans.
Scoring 148 goals in 330 appearances, Lee was City’s top scorer in four seasons. He played a key role in the 1968 league title win, contributing 16 goals, including a decisive strike on the final day. Further successes included the FA Cup (1969) and both the League Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup (1970). Lee left City in 1974, joining Derby County.
6. Yaya Toure [2010-2018]
Yaya Toure was a key figure in Manchester City’s rise to success following the club’s takeover by Arab owners. Renowned as one of the best box-to-box midfielders of his era, Toure’s contributions were pivotal. He scored crucial goals, including the winner in the 2011 FA Cup final against Stoke City, ending City’s 35-year trophy drought.
Toure’s influence extended to two Premier League titles and two League Cups. His standout moment came in 2012, scoring twice in a vital win against Newcastle to help secure City’s first league title in 44 years. He was named in the PFA Team of the Year twice and won African Footballer of the Year four consecutive times from 2011 to 2014.
5. Bert Trautmann [1949-1964]
Bert Trautmann is an enduring legend among Manchester City supporters, famously playing the final 17 minutes of the 1956 FA Cup Final with a broken neck and collecting his winner’s medal. As the first German to play in an FA Cup final at Wembley, Trautmann’s bravery and skill left an indelible mark on football history.
A former prisoner of war, Trautmann’s signing in 1949 initially sparked protests, but his performances won fans over, helping mend Anglo-German relations post-World War II. Voted England’s Player of the Year in 1956, he earned praise from Russian great Lev Yashin, who ranked them both as world-class goalkeepers.
4. Kevin De Bruyne [2015-Present]
Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has been a standout talent since joining Manchester City from Wolfsburg in 2015. Renowned for his ability to unleash stunning long-range strikes and execute precise, raking passes, he is a masterful playmaker with an exceptional footballing IQ.
De Bruyne has been instrumental in City’s success, winning five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, a Champions League, and five League Cups. He played a pivotal role in the 2022–23 treble-winning season, leading in assists across all three competitions. Twice named Premier League Player of the Season and City’s Player of the Season four times, De Bruyne’s legacy at the club continues to grow.
3. David Silva [2010-2020]
David Silva arrived at Manchester City in 2010 as a World Cup winner and quickly elevated the team with his exceptional skill and vision. Renowned for his creativity and precise passing, Silva consistently carved out opportunities, dictating the tempo of matches with effortless brilliance.
Over ten years at City, Silva made 436 appearances, winning four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups, and three Community Shields. Nicknamed “Merlin” by fans, he was named City’s Player of the Season in 2016–17. His lasting impact and remarkable achievements cement his place among the club’s greatest players.
2. Colin Bell [1966-1979]
Colin Bell is regarded as one of the best players – if not the best player – to have donned the Manchester City shirt. Dubbed ‘The King’, Colin Bell has a stand at the Etihad Stadium named after him. Bell joined the club from Bury in 1966 after being watched by Assistant Manager Malcolm Allison on several occasions.
He helped the club to promote in his first season and guided them to win the League Championship in 1968. Bell was the heart of the title-winning team and was voted the 1967/68 Manchester City Player of the Year. With Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee, Bell formed the so-called ‘Holy Trinity’, which would inspire the Blues to an FA Cup, 2 Charity Shields, 2 League Cups and a UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
His career was unfortunately cut short following an injury he suffered in his right knee against Manchester United in a challenge with Martin Buchan. He was only 29 years old at the time of the injury and attempted a return two years later in 1977 but called time on his career in 1979. He played 501 times for City in all competitions and scored 153 goals, an absolute legend.
1. Sergio Aguero [2011-2021]
Sergio Aguero takes the top spot in Manchester City’s list of greatest players, and rightly so. The club’s all-time leading scorer with 260 goals, Aguero joined from Atletico Madrid in 2011 and made an instant impact, netting twice on his debut. His most iconic moment came later that season, securing City’s first league title in 44 years with a dramatic last-minute winner against QPR.
Over ten seasons, Aguero scored 260 goals in 390 appearances, including 54 strikes in 75 matches against the “Big Six.” He won five Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and six League Cups. Widely regarded as one of the greatest foreign players in English football, Aguero’s legacy is unmatched.
Honourable mentions: Peter Doherty, Bernardo Silva, Billy Meredith, Alan Oakes, Pablo Zabaleta, Eric Brook, Fernandinho, Tommy Johnson, Mike Doyle, etc
Checkout: Greatest Manchester City Managers of all time
I m happy to see Aguero as the number 1 for our Manchester City greatest players he deserve that honour.
How can you have a list of the ten Greatest Manchester City Players Ever without mentioning Max Woosnam and Billy Meredith