The Moments That Made Sergio Aguero a City Legend

It was a sad day for football on Wednesday as former Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero announced his retirement. The Argentine had a very brief spell at Barcelona after ending his City career in the summer. But heart issues has now forced the legend to hang up his boots.

Here, we look at some of the most iconic moments of City’s all-time record goal-scorer, which shows the Premier League is worse off without him.

A Debut to Remember

Aguero had made the move to City for a reported £38m from Atletico Madrid, but started on the bench for the opening game of the season against newly promoted Swansea City. Goalless at half-time, Edin Dzeko had given City the lead in the 57^th minute. Two minutes later, Aguero entered the field and a legend had arrived.

On 68 minutes, just 11 into his debut, Aguero scored at the far post to make it 2-0. Three minutes later, the Argentine chased a hopeless cause and managed flick the ball over his head before it went out of play. His pass went straight to David Silva to hammer home number three. And in injury time, Aguero rifled home from 30 yards to give him one of the best Premier League debuts of all time.

His first hat-trick

Aguero scored 16 hat-tricks in his career, with 12 coming in the Premier League. His first came against Wigan at the Etihad Stadium, September 2011. After his brace against Swansea, Aguero added to his total with a strike against Spurs in a 5-1 win at White Hart Lane. Wigan would soon become Aguero’s first treble.

His first came in the 13^th minute, converting David Silva’s cutback, then scored two in six second half minutes, after being set up by Samir Nasri and Silva again. Six goals already, Aguero was shaping up to be a star of English football.

Derby Debut Goal

Aguero would turn out to be the scourge of Manchester United, and the striker scored nine against the reds in his ten-year spell with the blues. His first came at Old Trafford on a sunny October afternoon, with a result that sent shockwaves through the Premier League.

City were already 2-0 up thanks to a Mario Balotelli brace, and Aguero, realising United were there for the taking, wasn’t going to miss out on a chance to get his first goal against them. James Milner released Micah Richards inside the penalty area, and his cross as met by the onrushing Aguero to bury the ball past David de Gea. The blues would score another three before the end of the match.

That goal

Probably the most documented striker in Premier League history. Aguero’s last minute goal took the Premier League title to City for the first time in their history and wrote the Argentine’s name in City folklore.

At 2-2 with 90 seconds remaining, Aguero played the ball to Balotelli, and the Italian returned the pass. Aguero evaded the challenge of the defender and could have gone down to win a penalty. Instead, he stayed on his feet to rifle the ball past Paddy Kenny in the QPR goal, sparking wild scenes on the pitch, in the stands and on the sidelines. Even some QPR fans celebrated, as did Sunderland supporters, who had just been beaten 1-0 by United.

It is the most iconic moment in the history of the Premier League and will be talked about for years to come.

Aguero does and Aguero

Another Aguero hat-trick, this time against Bayern Munich. A crazy game saw Aguero score from the penalty spot in the 21^st minute, but Xabi Alonso and Robert Lewandowski turned the game on its head as 10-man Bayern led 2-1 at the break.

It stayed that way until the 85^th minute, when the Argentine pounced on a sloppy ball from Alonso to score the equaliser. Then, in the 90^th minute, he took advantage of poor defending from Jerome Boateng to make it 3-2 to City.

Newcastle Destroyed

In 2015, City needed a win to return t the top of the table, but being 1-0 down at home to Newcastle wasn’t what they needed. Enter Aguero.

In the space of 20 on-field minutes, Aguero slammed five past the Newcastle keeper, with his hat-trick goal being a beautiful dink over the advancing keeper. He was withdrawn soon after, with the fans begging for him to get the first ever Premier League double hat-trick.

Derby Stunner

In the 2012/13 season, City unsuccessfully defended their title. United were almost there when the two faced off at Old Trafford, and a home win would practically secure the title.

At 1-1, Aguero produced a moment of magic as he took on the United defence to fire high into the United goal and put City 2-1 up. The other memorable moment from that was the look on Phil Jones’ face as he watched Aguero’s shot almost break the goal, with fans likening it to Beaker from the Muppets.

Record Breaker

City’s record goal scorer had achieved 177 goals, and in 2017, Aguero had equalled Eric Brooks tally. The record would be broken sooner or later, but Aguero just couldn’t get past it. A trip to Napoli sorted him out.

With the score at 2-2, Aguero’s moment came in the 69^th minute. And he wasn’t about to pass the opportunity. Leroy Sane ran at the Napoli defence and his cross was deflected into the path of Aguero, and the Argentine guided the ball home to score his 178^th goal and finally edge past Brooks’ long-standing record.

A Final Match to Remember.

Aguero scored two on his debut and it was only fitting that he would do so again in his final match. Everton were the opposition in May 2021 and Aguero started the match in the bench. In the 65^th minute, he made his emotional appearance from the bench, replacing Riyad Mahrez, and just five minutes later, he had the fans in tears.

Free inside the box, Aguero curled a shot with the outside of his right foot beyond Pickford in the Everton goal. The whole team, including goalkeeper Ederson, mobbed the Argentine as he gave the club a farewell goal. Five minutes later, he headed home Fernandinho’s cross to spark similar scenes in the stands and was denied a goodbye hat-trick by the leg of Pickford.

260 goals in 390 appearances, five Premier League titles, six League Cups, an FA Cup and three community shields, Aguero has rightly earned the title of City legend.