Begiristain portrait helps celebrate his magnificent City era | OneFootball

A truly remarkable and historic era at Manchester City came to an end earlier this summer with the retirement of acclaimed Director of Football Txiki Begiristain.

After a magnificent 13 years at the helm, Begiristain stepped down from the key role in July to be succeeded by Hugo Viana.

He departed having helped oversee what has proved the most successful era in Manchester City’s proud 131-year history.

Over the course of his transformative tenure, the Club went on to win a quite remarkable 21 major men’s trophies.

With first Manuel Pellegrini and more latterly Pep Guardiola serving as inspirational managers and overseeing the team, it’s a staggering haul that has comprised of seven Premier League titles, six League Cups, three Community Shields, two FA Cups alongside a UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

Along the way our global impact was also further recognised with City twice being named as Club of the Year – in both 2022 and 2023 – at the prestigious Ballon d’Or awards.

Meanwhile Txiki it was who helped oversee a plethora of inspirational signings for the Club.

Begiristain’s impact was also keenly felt at Academy level too where his influence remains both tangible and ongoing.

The astute native of the Basque region, who had enjoyed a stellar playing career with Barcelona and Spain before going on to become Barca technical director before his move to City in 2012, helped integrate and oversee a unified playing style adopted across all of City’s age-range sides.

That approach and emphasis on a beguiling brand of attacking, possession-based football has borne ample fruit with a host of Academy players subsequently going on to make their senior City debuts.

WATCH: Trailer: ‘A Farewell to Txiki’ – Our new City Studios documentary

WATCH | A FAREWELL TO TXIKI ON CITY+

Meanwhile, our Under-21s and Under-18s have both rewritten the record books in their own right, accumulating a host of silverware along the way.

Our Elite Development Squad have been crowned Premier League 2 champions in four of the past five seasons, whilst City’s Under-18s have recorded a host of Premier League North and National title successes as well as being crowned FA Youth Cup victors in 2020 and 2024.

Now enjoying a richly-earned retirement with his family, Txiki’s influence, and enduring legacy will be formally acknowledged later today before the Manchester derby at the Etihad.

In the build-up to the game, by way of both marking and celebrating the scale of Begiristain’s achievements at City, the Club commissioned a special, intimate portrait of Txiki accompanied by all 21 major men’s trophies alongside a number of key Academy and Ballon d’Or silverware too.

It stands as a fitting and lasting testament in honour of a man who has left a priceless and indelible mark on Manchester City.

Muchas gracias, Txiki!