Maresca reveals why Haaland won't be City captain
Manchester City's new manager has an unusual rule that prevents the Norwegian striker from wearing the captain's armband, and it all comes down to his incredible scoring form.
Manchester City's new manager has an unusual rule that prevents the Norwegian striker from wearing the captain's armband, and it all comes down to his incredible scoring form.
Enzo Maresca, Manchester City's new manager, has confirmed that Erling Haaland will not inherit the captain's armband following Bernardo Silva's move to Real Madrid. The reason isn't a lack of status or influence from the Norwegian striker, but rather a specific tactical rule that the Italian coach has implemented since his previous clubs.
At a press conference in Seoul, during the club's pre-season tour of Asia, Maresca smiled and dismissed the idea that Haaland could become captain. "That's a good one," he told reporters, before explaining his method.
"At Leicester and Chelsea, I introduced a rule. When we score a goal, the captain must come to the bench to receive instructions, not celebrate with the others. The exception is if the captain himself scores the goal, then he can celebrate. If Erling is captain, damn it, we have a problem. Can you imagine that?" Maresca said.
City's manager believes that even brief stoppages are valuable for making adjustments to the game. "I think that even if the break lasts only two or three minutes, there's always something that can be adjusted on the pitch," he added. Given that Haaland, who has been at the club since 2022, is by far the team's top scorer, making him captain would mean that after almost every goal, he'd have to run to the bench instead of celebrating with his teammates.
Maresca also revealed the current situation regarding captaincy options in the dressing room. "At this moment, we have three or four captains, and one is missing. That's Rodri, who is recovering from back surgery. In his case, given that he's been linked with Barcelona, we'll have to see what happens," he concluded.
The new manager's decision contrasts with the thinking of his predecessor, Pep Guardiola. Back in June 2025, before handing the captain's armband to Bernardo Silva, Guardiola spoke about Haaland's leadership potential. "Erling Haaland is very young, but he must start learning what it means to be a captain, because I hope he'll stay here for many years. The role of captain is sometimes complex, but in essence, it's also very simple. You always have to put the team, your teammates, and the club first. You always have to ask yourself what's best for the squad," Guardiola explained at the time.
It seems that the Norwegian striker, despite all this, will have to wait a bit longer to take on that role in his career.
