A bizarre episode greeted the award ceremony after Manchester City FA Cup triumph at Wembley on Saturday, June 3.
Organizers of association football in England, the FA, ran out of enough winners medals to award some Manchester City players as they lined up for the award.
Two Manchester City players who starred for the club in the match against Manchester United could not have their medals.
Prince William, who represented the Monarchy at the crowning ceremony, had to explain to Kevin De Bruyne they don’t have enough medals to award the players.
It was a satirical scenario as the two players who were affected were the pivot on which Pep Guardiola built his tactics to outclass Manchester United at Wembley.
The two players were Kevin De Bruyne and IIkay Gundogan. De Bruyne and IIkay Gundogan led Manchester City’s sterling display against their domestic rivals at Wembley.
Kevin De Bruyne contributed to the two goals that handed Manchester City their 7th FA Cup trophy while IIkay Gundogan was a nightmare to United defense, scoring the two goals.
De Bruyne delivered a long pass into the United half before IIkay Gundogan latched on the ball to fire a thumping strike pass De Gea to get City’s first goal.
De Bruyne also took the freekick which led to the second goal by IIkay.
Satirically, all their teammates bagged their winners medals but they were left out.
According to the Sun, the FA could not give medals to the players because they did not have enough medals.
Manchester City first-choice goalkeeper, Ederson, who was benched in the match, later handed his medal to Kevin De Bruyne.
Gundogan, who won the man-of-the-match award had to pose with the trophy without the medal on his neck.
Meanwhile, some Manchester City players, who did not make the starting lineup were handed their medals. Rico Lewis, Kalvin Philips, and Cole Palmers all got their medals.
How De Bruyne and Gundogan missed out on the medals
The two players were not intentionally skipped by the FA officials during the award. The players were awarded the medals based on how they lined up for it. Apparently, Kevin De Bruyne and IIkay Gundogan must have made the last players on the line hence they could not access it before it was exhausted.
Manchester City is one final away from a historic treble
The Premier League champions stunned Manchester United from start to finish to emerge 2022/23 FA Cup Champions.
City are now just days away from winning their first treble. They will play Serie A giants Inter Milan in 2022/23 Champions League final on June 10.
The Citizens will become the second Premier League club to win a treble of FA Cup, Premier League and the Champions League if they win Saturday final against Inter Milan.
