As Manchester City prepares to kick off its Club World Cup campaign in the United States, Pep Guardiola has offered fans a reason to feel hopeful after a bruising season. Though City ended the 2024-25 campaign without silverware for the first time under Guardiola, the Catalan manager is embracing this new chapter with radical changes — both in the dressing room and on the pitch.
Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak set the tone, saying the Club World Cup “marks the start of a new season, rather than a continuation of the previous one.” With this mindset, Guardiola and his players will begin their tournament against Wydad, eager to recapture the form that once made them the most feared team in the world.
But while new signings like Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Marcus Bettinelli could feature for the first time, the real intrigue lies in the internal revolution Guardiola is leading — one that has seen significant changes in leadership and hierarchy at the Etihad.
Guardiola strips Walker of armband
In a dramatic shift, Pep Guardiola has removed the captain’s armband from Kyle Walker, whose form and off-pitch struggles led to a dip in influence within the squad. The surprise departure of Kevin De Bruyne to Napoli only amplified the need for a new face to lead City into their rebuild.
Rather than let the players vote — as had been the tradition — the Spaniard took full control. He appointed Bernardo Silva as captain, a decision that underlines his intent to reshape the squad’s mentality.
“I want someone who represents the team. Sometimes I want to be the boss,” Guardiola told reporters, referencing his frustration with last season’s leadership process, which he believes contributed to instability.
While Ruben Dias and Rodri were considered more vocal leaders, Bernardo’s professionalism and loyalty to the club were key in Guardiola’s decision. Despite being in the final year of his contract, the Portuguese midfielder seems committed to the cause. “I know what I’m going to do, but it’s not time to talk. I’m focused on my season and performing well for City. When the time is due, I’ll talk,” said Silva, when asked about his future.
Guardiola’s Haaland vision: Future captain
And in the midst of this shake-up, Guardiola dropped a major hint about Manchester City’s long-term leadership — one that involves their Norwegian superstar. “First of all, he’s so young, but he has to learn what it means to be a captain because hopefully he’ll be here many years and sooner or later will take that position,” Guardiola said about Erling Haaland.
“When you have Bernardo, Ruben, Rodri, Gundogan, who was an unbelievable, unbelievable captain for us, he will learn. Especially because he’s respected and an important figure.”
This statement is more than flattery — it’s a bold projection. The experienced boss envisions Haaland, only 24, as a future captain of Manchester City. It’s a sentiment that not only shows trust in the striker’s maturity but also hints at the club’s long-term ambitions with Haaland at the heart of them.
Haaland has already had a taste of the captaincy, wearing the armband in a pre-season match against Celtic and again during a Premier League clash against Newcastle in February.
