Maresca: Haaland cannot be Manchester City captain because he scores too many goals
Manager Enzo Maresca says Haaland's scoring role would clash with the tactical duties he assigns to a captain.
12.08.2026 — Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca said he has no intention of handing the captain's armband to Erling Haaland because, in his view, the Norwegian scores too many goals to fit the role.
Haaland has been mentioned as a possible captain after the departure of Bernardo Silva and with the expected transfer of Rodri, but Maresca ruled out giving the armband to his leading striker.
Maresca's reasoning
Explaining his approach, the Italian coach described a practice from his previous jobs and why it would clash with Haaland's central role as a goalscorer. "At Leicester and Chelsea I had a rule: when we score a goal, the captain comes to me for tactical instructions, not to celebrate. But if he is the goalscorer, then of course he can celebrate. So, we'll have a big problem if Erling is captain," said the Italian manager.
Put simply, Maresca suggested that the duties he expects from a captain immediately after goals — to receive tactical guidance from the bench — would be incompatible with Haaland's instinct and job of celebrating and leading the line.
The remark immediately raises questions about how City will organise leadership on the pitch now that Bernardo Silva is gone and Rodri's future is uncertain. For now, Maresca appears to prefer a captain who can fulfil post-goal tactical routines rather than the team's top scorer.
Photo: press material from the event
