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Premier League Hall of Fame: Vincent Kompany

Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany enjoyed a stellar spell at the Etihad and was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2022.

Vincent Kompany Profile:

NameVincent Kompany
Date of Birth10/04/1986
Place of BirthUccle, Belgium
PositionDefender
Premier League clubsManchester City
Premier League appearances265
Premier League goals18
Premier League assists8
Premier League titles4

Wonderkid fulfils potential 

Kompany looked destined for greatness from a young age, making his debut for Anderlecht when still just 17.

His exploits earned him both the Belgian Golden Shoe and Belgian Ebony Shoe, but after contributing in two league title triumphs, it felt inevitable that he would quickly outgrow the Belgian Pro League.

A fee of €10million saw Hamburg win the race for his signature, replacing international teammate Daniel van Buyten after he joined Bayern Munich in 2006.

Kompany had to wait to become a regular at Volksparkstadion, but made 22 league outings in his second season with Die Rothosen. Those performances again prompted interest and he signed for Manchester City for an undisclosed fee in 2008.

The Belgian came in under Mark Hughes and initially featured in midfield before being moved to defence, where his growing influence often saw him captain the side.

Title hero

Kompany's ability to galvanise the players around him helped City win their first major trophy for 35 years as they defeated Stoke 1-0 in the 2011 FA Cup final, and he led the club to their maiden Premier League title in 2011/12.

Few will forget Sergio Aguero's dramatic final day winner against QPR but it was Kompany's header in April's 1-0 victory over Manchester United that gave his side the advantage in their season-long battle against the Red Devils.

He was named Premier League Player of the Season for 2011/12 and remained a key player under first Roberto Mancini and then Manuel Pellegrini, helping the team win the league under the Chilean in 2013-14.

Injuries had started to become a factor when Pep Guardiola arrived in 2016 but the Catalan stood by the skipper, recognising his importance both on and off the field.

Fitness battles meant John Stones, Nicolas Otamendi and Aymeric Laporte often started ahead of Kompany. However, he continued to make an impact in the big games, famously scoring a long-range winner against Leicester to put his side ahead of Liverpool in the 2018/19 title race.

The Citizens went on to win the league at the Reds' expense, and it would turn out to be his final goal for the club, going out in style by winning the domestic treble of Premier League, FA Cup and EFL Cup.

In total, Kompany, who was also capped 89 times by his country, won four Premier League titles, as well as two FA Cups and four EFL Cups.

Such was his influence at the Etihad, the club confirmed plans to build a statue of him outside the ground and the piece was unveiled in August 2021.

Style of play

Elegant with the ball but equally powerful without it, Kompany became the archetype of the modern central defender. 

The Belgian spent chunks of his early career playing in midfield, explaining his composure in possession and ability to move the ball with poise and class.

Kompany's physical stature also saw him stand out as a leader, with his natural presence allowing him to inspire those around him and lead City to success.

Life after football

Kompany left City in 2019 to return to his first club, Anderlecht, taking over as player-manager, but a poor start saw him step aside to focus on playing.

After retaking the reins in 2020, he led Les Mauves et Blancs to the Belgian Cup final in 2021/22 before being appointed Burnley boss in the summer of 2022.

Fresh from relegation, Kompany introduced wholesale changes at Turf Moor, and his bold approach was vindicated as the club returned to the top flight at the first time of asking.

Did you know?

Kompany was named Premier League Player of the Year after leading City to their maiden Premier League title in 2011/12. However, despite this achievement, he was never named the division's Player of the Month.

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