City’s World Cup years: 2002 and 2006 | OneFootball

Ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup, we look back on City’s impact at previous tournaments.

Men's Team

Every City player at the 2026 World Cup

With 19 currently contracted players set to be in Canada, Mexico and the US this summer, we’re sure to leave our mark on this edition.

Our 2026 World Cup group stage explainer

48 teams will compete across 104 matches in a competition on a scale never seen before.

But it’s taken time for it to grow to this level, with the first edition 96 years ago comprising of just 13 teams and 18 games.

Yesterday we went back to the 20th century for every edition that included City players.

In the second of this series, we reflect on 2002 and 2006.

South Korea and Japan 2002

As the 2002 World Cup arrived, there was plenty to be optimistic about at City, with Kevin Keegan’s great entertainers storming to the Division One title with 99 points and 108 league goals scored.

It was also set to be an emotional time over the following year, as we would play our final campaign at Maine Road.

Niclas Jensen

Danish left-back Jensen had arrived at City in January 2002 and instantly slotted into Keegan’s side.

He went to this tournament as back-up on the left side of defence to Denmark captain Jan Heintze but played the last half hour of their opening win over Uruguay and the full game as they shocked France.

By that point he’d claimed his place in the starting XI but it was one to forget in the Round of 16 with England beating them 3-0.

Sun Jihai

Our versatile Chinese international was perhaps his nation’s biggest star going into their one and only appearance at the finals of the tournament.

He had arrived in Manchester in February 2002 and became a fan favourite almost immediately.

This tournament was not a fond memory though for him, as he was forced off midway through China’s tournament opener with Costa Rice with an ankle injury. He sat out the rest of the group stage as China lost all three matches.

Paulo Wanchope

Playing for Costa Rica in that game was striker Wanchope, who was halfway through his four-year spell at City.

He had played brilliantly when fit in the 2001/02 season, scoring 12 goals in 15 league appearances as injuries affected him.

So he went to South Korea and Japan as one of Costa Rica’s biggest hopes.

They beat China and drew with Turkey before Wanchope’s only goal at the tournament came in a 5-2 defeat to eventual champions Brazil that knocked them out.

Lucien Mettomo, Marc-Vivien Foe

Cameroon went to the tournament with defender Mettomo, who’d signed for City 12 months earlier and Foe, who would join on loan that summer.

They finished third in their group after a draw with Republic of Ireland, victory over Saudi Arabia and defeat to Germany.

Foe, a brilliantly energetic midfielder, played every minute at the tournament for his country while Mettomo was unused.

Richard Dunne

The towering Irish central defender was a firm favourite at Maine Road after a brilliant season in helping us to promotion.

He was a future club captain and serial Player of the Year winner at City, but struggled for game time in Mick McCarthy’s side due to the form of Gary Breen and Steve Staunton.

Ireland made it to the Round of 16 and went out on penalties against Spain, but Dunne remained on the bench.

Germany 2006

Now established at the Etihad Stadium (or the City of Manchester Stadium as it was then known), City had just finished the previous Premier League season in 15th when this World Cup rolled around.

Stuart Pearce’s side had struggled for goals after the attacking talents of Nicolas Anelka and Shaun Wright-Phillips in the months prior to the season beginning.

David James

This tournament came at the end of James’ two-and-a-half years as one of City’s outstanding players, with the goalkeeper to move to Portsmouth before the start of the next campaign.

He went in as England’s second choice goalkeeper, with Paul Robinson holding the No.1 jersey and future City man Scott Carson completing the goalkeeping unit.

Robinson played every game as England went out at the quarter-final stage.

Claudio Reyna, DaMarcus Beasley

Box-to-box midfielder Reyna had just completed his third season at City when it was confirmed he’d be captain of the United States team at this tournament.

Meanwhile, winger Beasley would soon after be joining City on a season-long loan and played in all three games here.

It was a difficult period for the US, with defeat to a Czech Republic side containing several greats, drawing with eventual winners Italy and losing 2-1 to Ghana.

Reyna started all three games but had to be removed 40 minutes into the last of them for an injury that curtailed much of his final year at City.