Sergio Agüero said his dramatic title-clinching goal against QPR changed everything for him and Manchester City, on the day that marked the 10th anniversary of the Argentinian’s most celebrated strike, when he netted deep into stoppage time to earn the club their first Premier League crown.
City have not looked back since, with Agüero winning five league titles before moving on last summer and the current side closing in on another. Agüero was back at the Etihad Stadium on Friday as City marked the anniversary by unveiling a statue in honour of the record-breaking striker.
“For me that moment changed my life, changed the club and everything,” said Agüero after seeing the statue for the first time. “For me it was the best moment of my life. That moment always will be in my heart. We don’t know what would have happened if we’d lost the Premier League that year. That year changed everything because in the next years we started winning more titles.”
The statue, sculpted by the US-based Scottish artist Andy Scott, depicts the moment when Agüero ripped off his shirt in celebration after scoring in that famous game on the last day of the 2011-12 season. The goal came three minutes and 20 seconds into added time and capped a sensational comeback as City won 3-2 having trailed 2-1 moments earlier. Making the moment all the sweeter for fans was the fact rivals Manchester United were the side pipped to the title.
Agüero said of the statue: “It is so good because that goal for me is this moment. When they created the statue I told them that picture is the one.”
The statue joins similar tributes to Agüero’s former teammates Vincent Kompany and David Silva already in place outside the stadium. Its unveiling was part of a day of celebrations remembering the 2012 success, with a squad reunion and a fans’ event also taking place.
Agüero, 33, scored a club record 260 goals for City before joining Barcelona last year. He has since been forced to retire on health grounds.