Manchester City undergoes cultural shift under new manager Enzo Maresca

For the better part of a decade, Manchester City’s captaincy was decided through player and staff votes. That era is over. Enzo Maresca, appointed as City’s new manager on June 29, 2026, is taking a different approach. He’ll pick the captain himself. A new hand on the wheel Maresca’s decision to personally select the team’s captain for the 2026-27 season represents a fundamental change in how leadership will be structured at the Etihad. Under Guardiola, the captaincy vote was part of a broader philosophy of shared ownership, with players and staff input shaping the final call. Maresca has also indicated that he wants at least one English player in the leadership group. Rúben Dias is widely considered a leading candidate for the armband. The Portuguese centre-back has been one of City’s most consistent performers and vocal presences since arriving at the club. The Bernardo Silva-shaped hole Maresca’s captaincy overhaul arrives alongside the departure of Bernardo Silva, who left City for Real Madrid on a free transfer during the summer of 2026. Silva had served as captain in Guardiola’s final stretch, and his exit removes one of the last pillars of the club’s most successful era. The...