Mumbai, 28 September 2023: The commemoration of Manchester City’s Treble Trophy Tour in India visited the cities of Kochi and Mumbai earlier this month as the four highly coveted trophies- the Premier League Trophy, The FA Cup, the UEFA Champions League Trophy and the UEFA Super Cup were present in the cities along with Manchester City Legend, Nedum Onuoha.
The India leg of the Treble Trophy Tour kicked-off in Kochi on 22nd September, where the four pieces of silverware displayed on the scenic banks of the Vembanad Lake, the longest lake in India which is renowned for hosting the Nehru Trophy Boat Race.
Subsequently, the trophies were displayed at the Lulu Atrium Mall in the city on 23rd September, during the screening of Manchester City’s Premier League match against Nottingham Forest which the reigning Premier League champions won 2-0. At the screening, the Indian fans from the football crazy city of Kochi got the rare chance to see the four trophies in person and greeted the silverware with unrelenting cheers. The fans in Kochi also got a golden opportunity to interact with Manchester City Legend, Nedum Onuoha who was ecstatic at seeing the tremendous support and adoration the fans showcased at the venue.
Manchester City Treble Trophy Tour reached the ‘City of Dreams’, Mumbai. The four highly esteemed pieces of silverware, the Premier League trophy, the FA Cup, the UEFA Champions League trophy, and the UEFA Super Cup made their way to the city of Mumbai which has one of the most diverse football fanbases in the nation following the success of the Kochi leg on the 24th of September. The four trophies that constitute the Cityzens’ first-ever treble success were displayed in front of the iconic G.S.B. Sarvajanik Ganeshotsava Samiti at the Shree Ram Mandir Wadala in Mumbai, providing the perfect opportunity for Manchester City to embrace the rich culture of the city during the ongoing Ganpati festival in Maharashtra, which is revered to be the biggest celebration in the city and the state.
From there the trophies made their way to the Mumbai City FC office in the city to signify the strong connection between the various clubs’ part of the City Football Group (CFG) family. Later in the day the trophies made their way to Escobar in Bandra West, where the fans in Mumbai flocked to catch a glimpse of the four trophies and interact with the travelling Manchester City Legend.
On the final day, the trophies spent the afternoon at a Cityzens Giving project in the Bandra suburb, where Manchester City is working with OSCAR Foundation to support children from underserved communities through its football and life skills education programme. Over 75 participants from the programme attended this special community football festival, which was led by 15 of the project’s inspiring Young Leaders who have benefitted from football leadership training from Manchester City coaches since 2020.
During the event, Nedum Onuoha shared lessons on leadership with the Young Leaders, and participated in fun, educational football activities with the local children before posing for photos with all those in attendance.
Earlier in the day, Onuoha surprised Zoya, an inspirational young leader and Man City super fan, by taking the trophies to her home in Mumbai. Reflecting on the experience, Onuoha said: “Zoya was so stunned when she saw me and then when the Champions League trophy was behind me it was obviously an incredibly special moment for her. People like Zoya and the work she does in her community are invaluable. As a club we were delighted to express our gratitude for her efforts with a truly special surprise.”
Zoya has been a young leader at the Cityzens Giving project since its inception in 2020 and serves as a role model for the next generation, in particular inspiring young girls in her community to break down barriers to pursue sport and education.
Speaking about the surprise, Zoya said: “I feel overwhelmed and speechless. To see the trophies lined up in my living room was something I couldn’t have imagined in my wildest dreams. I feel so grateful to have experienced this moment with my family.”
Sharing his overall thoughts on the India leg of the Treble Torphy Tour and the special memories made, Nedum Onuoha who came through the Cityzens’ youth system back in 2004 said:
“When Manchester City’s admirers in India saw the trophies in person, it was clear that their passion for the club had only strengthened with our recent success. I am incredibly appreciative of our Indian supporters who made me feel so welcome and I hope they enjoyed celebrating our record-breaking season together at the various events as one City family.”
The Manchester City Treble Trophy Tour will now head to Indonesia where the tour will start in Jakarta on the 28th of September 2023.
About Manchester City Football Club:
Manchester City FC is an English Premier League club initially founded in 1880 as St Mark’s West Gorton. It officially became Manchester City FC in 1894 and has since then gone onto win the UEFA Champions League, European Cup Winners’ Cup, nine League Championship titles, seven FA Cups and eight League Cups. Manchester City FC is one of 13 clubs comprising the City Football Group.
Under manager Pep Guardiola, one of the most highly-decorated managers in world football, the Club plays its domestic and UEFA Champions League home fixtures at the Etihad Stadium, a spectacular 53,500 seat arena that City have called home since 2003. Today, the stadium sits on the wider Etihad Campus, which also encompasses the City Football Academy, a state-of-the-art performance training and youth development facility located in the heart of East Manchester. Featuring a 7,000 capacity Academy Stadium, the City Football Academy is also where Manchester City Women’s Football Club and the Elite Development Squad train on a daily basis and play their competitive home games.
