When Man City flew across the Atlantic for the Club World Cup, they expected trophies, ticker tape, and maybe a free pair of Yeezys. Instead, they got a rude awakening from Al Hilal, a FIFA schedule tighter than Pep Guardiola’s defensive formations, and—just for tradition’s sake—a fresh million-pound fine for late kick-offs. You can take the team out of Manchester, but apparently not the punctuality issues out of the team.
Man City’s Club World Cup Campaign: Big Dreams, Delayed Starts
The city’s semi-final exit was a shocker. Al Hilal didn’t just beat them—they sent the European giants packing with a swagger that had neutral fans grinning and social media memes loading. But the true embarrassment? Not the result, but the clock. FIFA’s rigid walk-out timings—each player having their own little red-carpet moment—put City’s Premier League antics to shame. If FIFA can get thirty grown men to line up like boy band members on a world tour, surely City can manage to start a game before the tea goes cold?
Even FIFA Got It Right—So Why Can’t Man City?
This is FIFA we’re talking about. An organization known more for chaos than choreography. Yet somehow, they got their Club World Cup intros running smoother than Guardiola’s midfield triangles. While City fans may argue, “We came for football, not theater,” the irony is rich: FIFA, the panto villain of global football, showing Man City how to run a tight ship.
Time is Money—And Man City keeps burning both.
The Blues have now racked up over £3 million in fines in just two seasons for being fashionably late. Maybe it’s time to invest in alarm clocks instead of center backs. Pep, we love your tactical genius, but let’s put “kick-off at kick-off time” on the next whiteboard. Man City may have conquered English football, but until they conquer the stopwatch, the jokes will write themselves.
Final Whistle:
Man City needs to treat punctuality the way they treat possession—relentlessly controlled. Because right now, the only thing arriving late more often than their players is a Spurs title charge.
