Manchester City F.C.
English football team.
Manchester City Football Club, commonly known as "The Citizens," was founded in 1880 as St. Mark's (West Gorton) and underwent several name changes before settling on Manchester City in 1894. The club's early years were spent in the lower tiers of English football, but it quickly established itself as a competitive force. In 1904, Manchester City won its first major trophy, the FA Cup, defeating Bolton Wanderers 1-0 at Crystal Palace. This victory marked a significant milestone, making City the first club in Manchester to win a major honor.Throughout the early 20th century, City experienced fluctuating fortunes, including relegation and promotion. The club's first significant success came in the 1930s when they won the FA Cup again in 1934 and secured their first league title in 1937. However, the subsequent years were marked by struggles, including relegation to the Second Division in the 1960s.A turning point for Manchester City came with the appointment of manager Joe Mercer in 1965. Under Mercer and his assistant Malcolm Allison, the club experienced a golden era. They won the Second Division title in 1966 and followed it up with an FA Cup victory in 1969. The pinnacle of this successful period was reached when City claimed the League Championship in 1968 and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1970.Despite these achievements, the following decades brought challenges, including financial difficulties and relegation to the third tier of English football in 1998—the only time in their history that they faced such a fate. However, after regaining their Premier League status in 2002, Manchester City began to rebuild.In 2008, a significant change occurred when the Abu Dhabi United Group purchased Manchester City for £210 million. This takeover marked the beginning of a new era characterized by substantial investment in players and infrastructure. The club quickly returned to prominence, winning their first major trophy since the takeover by clinching the FA Cup in 2011.The crowning moment came on the final day of the 2011-12 Premier League season when Manchester City snatched the title from rivals Manchester United with a dramatic stoppage-time goal from Sergio Agüero. This victory was followed by further successes, including league titles in 2014 and back-to-back championships in 2017-18 and 2018-19 under manager Pep Guardiola.Guardiola's arrival in 2016 ushered in an era of dominance for Manchester City. The team set numerous records during his tenure, including becoming the first club to reach 100 points in a Premier League season during 2017-18. They also achieved consecutive league titles and continued to excel domestically by winning multiple League Cups and FA Cups.In recent years, Manchester City has solidified its place among Europe’s elite clubs. In 2023, they won their first UEFA Champions League title, completing a historic treble alongside their Premier League and FA Cup victories that season. This achievement marked a significant milestone for the club and further enhanced its reputation on the global stage.Manchester City's rivalry with Manchester United is one of the most intense in English football, with matches between the two teams drawing significant attention from fans worldwide. The atmosphere at their home ground, Etihad Stadium, is electric during these encounters.