Joao Cancelo, a former Manchester City player who is now on loan at Barcelona, recently participated in a social media challenge that involved ranking players from one to ten. In the challenge, Cancelo rated Josko Gvardiol, who replaced him at City, at the bottom of his list. He then proceeded to name Roberto Carlos, Frank Lampard, Antoine Griezmann, and Hernan Crespo in his top four places, reserving the top spot for Chelsea’s Thiago Silva. Cancelo’s controversial ranking has led to more tension between him and City, a relationship that has been strained for years.
Cancelo initially joined City in 2019 from Juventus in a £65 million transfer, making him the most expensive right back at the time. Despite a shaky start, he managed to make 98 appearances for City and was part of the team that won the Premier League in 2021 and 2022. However, he was later loaned out to Bayern Munich during the club’s Treble-winning season. Reports emerged that Cancelo had a falling out with manager Pep Guardiola, with Cancelo accusing the club of being “ungrateful” and claiming that “lies were told.” The relationship between Cancelo and City has been further strained with his recent social media challenge.
City fans expressed outrage at Cancelo’s recent comments, particularly regarding Gvardiol, with many taking to social media to voice their opinions. Some fans criticized Cancelo for being jealous, while others praised Gvardiol’s performances and defended his abilities. Despite the controversy, Gvardiol has become a key player for City as they aim to win their fourth consecutive league title and another FA Cup when they face rivals United in the final. Cancelo, on the other hand, remains under contract with City until 2027, but it is unlikely he will play for the club again considering the strained relationship.
The ongoing feud between Cancelo and City has been a recurring theme over the years, with tensions escalating after Cancelo’s loan to Bayern Munich. Cancelo was famously booed by City fans during a Champions League fixture when he returned to Manchester. Despite stating in the past that he had nothing against City, Cancelo’s recent actions have only intensified the animosity between him and the club. The full-back’s ranking in the social media challenge has only added fuel to the fire, with City fans continuing to show their support for their current players, including Gvardiol, as the team pursues more trophies in the upcoming season.
