On numerous occasions, under the stewardship of Pep Guardiola, Manchester City has embarked on prolonged winning streaks spanning several months to surge ahead in the championship race. Sustaining such accomplishments requires City not only to exert maximum physical effort but also to rely on… spiritual reinforcement.
Pep Guardiola and the subtle superstitions
The successes of Pep Guardiola in both player and managerial roles are the culmination of talent, skill, perseverance, and exceptional insight. After years of collaboration with eminent minds in football such as Johan Cruyff and Bobby Robson, Pep has continuously refined his own style and tactics. However, it appears that is not all. Pep is indeed influenced by and believes in certain superstitions to secure victories.
In the documentary series “All Or Nothing,” which follows Manchester City throughout the 2017/18 season, there is a scene where Pep converses with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak in the dressing room before a match against Swansea City. At that time, The Citizens had won 14 consecutive matches in the Premier League. The chairman asks why Pep is wearing these unremarkable black shoes. The Manchester City manager responds that they are a special edition of Johan Cruyff’s shoes, available for purchase anywhere, with the implication being, “That’s why we win all our matches.”
Upon hearing this, Al Mubarak immediately concurs: “Then keep wearing them.” Guardiola does not consider himself superstitious, but besides choosing shoes for “luck,” he also has several fixed habits to preempt matches. He admitted this during a conversation on the club’s website in 2017. “Before going to the stadium, I always call my wife and my eldest daughter. Previously, I always wore a suit, my wife chose a different one for me every day, but this year I decided not to wear a suit anymore, it’s more comfortable.”
Not stopping there, before every match, he embraces a member of the coaching staff, Manuel Estiarte, a former world champion in water polo and now one of Guardiola’s trusted assistants at Etihad. While sitting on the touchline, Pep also insists on sitting beside the analyst Carles Planchart and his assistant, Domenec Torrent. For this strategist, wearing the right shoes and sitting beside the right person are essential to avoiding failure.
The documentary series “All Or Nothing” also captures a scene where the dressing room attendant, Brandon Ashton, relaxes on a treatment table, receiving massages from three colleagues simultaneously, akin to being in a high-end spa. City’s sports therapist, Federico Genovese, explains that when the streak of 18 consecutive wins began, they once pampered Ashton in this manner. Since then, Ashton has always enjoyed massages from colleagues whenever City plays. Thus, he has been treated like a king for four months, until this winning streak came to an end.
Each person reaps what they sow
Pep’s disciples exhibit a curious penchant for superstition in their quest to maintain optimal performance. Perhaps the most ritualistic among them is Kyle Walker. According to former Tottenham teammate Dele Alli, Walker consistently insisted on being the last player to board the team bus before training sessions.
Another Spurs colleague, Danny Rose, recounts Walker’s habit of kissing his lucky wristband twice before removing it to play. These are clandestine rituals; however, one overtly observed practice is Walker’s habit of spraying water into the air during matches.
Sergio Aguero, the Manchester City legend, maintains a habit from his youth of rubbing his hands together while ascending the stairs onto the field. Ederson admits to wearing the same pair of underwear throughout an entire season, discarding them at its conclusion and acquiring a new set for the subsequent season, reserved solely for match days. Midfielder Bernardo Silva steadfastly refuses to dismantle his Christmas tree, even well into May, explaining that he wishes to maintain his form throughout the latter half of the season.
Some former Manchester City players inadvertently divulged their peculiar habits. For instance, Kolo Toure always insisted on being the last one on the field. Goalkeeper Shay Given perpetually kept a small vial of holy water beside his goal net. “I carry it in my kit bag, and it goes everywhere with me,” the former Republic of Ireland international stated in 2002.
Such actions may seem scientifically meaningless, yet they hold significant psychological importance for the players, especially in an environment as unpredictable as professional football, where stability and consistency are paramount. Repetitive behaviors can instill a sense of control over unfolding events, fostering belief in favorable outcomes.
More intriguingly, it’s not just the coaches and players who subscribe to rituals; some City fans adhere to a variety of idiosyncratic habits. Natalie Pike, a long-time supporter of The Citizens, shared with The Athletic her clothing choices: “During the 2012/13 season, I noticed that we always won when I wore a particular pair of light blue jeans. So, I continued wearing them for every match, including the 2013 FA Cup final. But alas, we lost, and I promptly threw them in the bin, never to indulge in superstition again!”
In social media posts, a fan known as Pam revealed that she must vacuum her car on match days to ensure Manchester City’s success. Another supporter disclosed that he has worn the same unwashed socks since City’s title-winning match against QPR in 2012. And there are numerous other rituals among the Cityzens, such as wearing green underwear, switching wedding rings to the middle finger, drinking from a specific cup, and carrying a wallet in the right pocket. Somehow, all these rituals seemingly contribute to City’s victories, or at the very least, provide comfort and confidence in an invincible football season.