Manchester City name new captain for 2025/26 season | OneFootball

Bernardo Silva has been named as new Manchester City captain ahead of the 2025/26 season.

The Portugal international replaces Kevin De Bruyne, who has joined Napoli after his contract was not renewed at the Etihad.

Silva is heading into his ninth season with the Citizens and has been chosen to wear the armband for the upcoming campaign. The midfielder has been named captain ahead of other members of City’s leadership group, including Rodri, Ruben Dias and former captain Ilkay Gundogan.

“I’m the manager, this season for the first time in my career I decided on who would be my captains. I didn’t like what happened last season and this year I decided who will represent the team,” Guardiola said ahead of facing Wydad AC at the Club World Cup.

“I just decided this season, sometimes I want to be the boss and this season I decided to do it. I chose the four captains and after this tournament, this Club World Cup maybe we will choose one or two more.”

Pep Guardiola has also confirmed that Erling Haaland has been promoted to the leadership group. The City boss has called Haaland a future captain of the club.

“First of all, he’s so young but he has to start to learn what it means to be a captain because hopefully he’ll be here for many years and sooner or later he will take that position as the first one.

“When you have Bernardo [Silva], Ruben [Dias], Rodri, [Ilkay] Gundogan who was an unbelievable captain for us in the year of the treble, in the two seasons, he will learn.

“Especially because he’s respected and an important figure for us. It’s not necessary to say what will happen on the pitch but thinking about the future, he has to start to learn what’s best for the team, captain at the end it can be complicated but at the same time so simple.

“You have to always put the team and your mates always ahead of you and ask all the time what’s best for the team, when you decide what’s best for the team then you never make a mistake ever.

“This is what you have to do as captains. Bernardo has been an incredible figure for us, nine years here, never injured. Always in the bad moments makes the step up, an example on the pitch. When they have to say something to me, he says it.

“Ruben and Rodri have been the same, they will guide the new players, because there’ll be problems during this part of the season. Always it happens but it’s more than fine.

“It’s ‘okay, let’s try to find a solution that’s best for the team’ and these are three or four players on the pitch who have huge personality.

“When things go wrong or in the bad moments they say: ‘Okay guys let’s do it, we can’t accept it’ and they step up. That’s the reason why I chose them.”

Read – Manchester City vs Wydad AC – Predicted lineup and team news

See more – Premier League release fixtures for 2025/26 season

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