Vincent Kompany calls maiden Manchester City league triumph his favorite title ever won

Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany has lifted a cluster of trophies since taking the reins at the German giants, yet none of those triumphs eclipse the moment he rates as the pinnacle of his career in football, whether as a player or as a manager.

Speaking to reporters, the Belgian pointed to the dramatic 2011-12 Premier League decider as the standout memory. “The first title we won with Manchester City. We won it at the very last second,” Kompany recalled, as relayed by the X account @iMiaSanMia. “We had actually lost it in the final matchday and then Kun Agüero scored at the last second and we won the title. I’d say that was my favorite.”

The scene is etched into English football lore. Entering the final round of fixtures, Manchester United held a three-point advantage over their crosstown rivals but trailed on goal difference. While United sealed a 1-0 victory over Sunderland through Wayne Rooney’s strike, City stumbled to a 2-1 deficit against Queens Park Rangers at the Etihad.

Hope flickered when Edin Dzeko headed home in stoppage time, but the championship still appeared to be slipping away until Sergio Aguero collected Mario Balotelli’s pass, darted into the area, and lashed the ball past Paddy Kenny. The strike clinched a 3-2 win, City’s first top-flight championship since 1968, and sparked bedlam from the stands to the streets of Manchester.

For Kompany, who captained the side that afternoon, the emotion of that last-gasp success remains unmatched by any accolade he has collected since, including the silverware now arriving at the Allianz Arena.