Gary Lineker has sent departing Manchester City captain and defender Vincent Kompany a heartfelt farewell message after the Belgian revealed he would be leaving the Etihad Stadium after over a decade at the club.
The veteran City star, who helped the club achieve the first ever English domestic treble by adding the FA Cup to their Premier League and League Cup titles this season, revealed on Sunday he would be leaving City when his contract comes to an end this summer, with a player-manager role at former club Anderlecht his next role.
Taking to his personal Twitter account to wish Kompany luck, Lineker heralded him as a great of the same, saying: “Good luck to you, Vincent Kompany with your new challenge. One of the greatest players, leaders and role models to have played on the green carpets of this country. And what a way to bow out from Man City.”
Good luck to you, @VincentKompany with your new challenge. One of the greatest players, leaders and role models to have played on the green carpets of this country. And what a way to bow out from @ManCity ??? https://t.co/ZE1IOywid7
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) May 19, 2019
Opinion
You do not have to be a Manchester City fan to recognise just how influential Kompany has been both on and off the pitch in the north west. He joined the club at the start of their rise to power and has matched the improving levels of quality and talent year after year, demonstrating his ability to continue to grow, develop and learn as a player despite his age. He has been the crux of their success and there will perhaps be no more resounding memory than his thunderbolt of a strike to sink Leicester City and give his side a crucial three points on the way to this season’s Premier League title. He has been with City every step of the way and will go down as a modern day legend in the blue half of Manchester. As Lineker says, he has been an exceptional role model both on and off the pitch and will be remembered for a long time across the country.