Sergio Aguero joined Independiente’s youth system at the age of 8, making his way up the ranks to become the club’s youngest-ever first-team debutant at 15 years and 35 days old in 2003.
The striker came on as a substitute during a league fixture against San Lorenzo but he had to wait another seven months before making his next appearance.
Aguero began to make his mark during the 2005/2006 season, helping Argentina win the Under 20 World Cup and scoring 18 goals in all competitions at club level for Independiente.
His move to Atletico Madrid
Unsurprisingly, his exploits were attracting the attention of European clubs and La Liga giants Atletico paid €20m, a club record at the time, to secure his signature in May 2006.
It took Aguero the best part of a year to settle into life in Spain but he was a consistent scorer between 2007 and 2011, finding the back of the net 101 times in total during his spell with the La Liga side.
In terms of trophies, the forward played a key role in winning the Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup (2010).
City break the bank for Aguero
In the summer of 2011, the Cityzens broke their transfer record to snap up the Argentinian international for £35m. Unlike Spain, where he needed time to adapt, he was an instant hit in the Premier League.
Aguero scored 24 league goals (and 31 in total) during his first season at the Etihad. His most famous goal was, of course, the one he scored in injury time against Queens’ Park Rangers to seal City’s first Premier League title.
The goal secured a vital three points, beating their rivals Manchester United to top spot on the final day of the campaign. The moment has gone down in City folklore, with the player becoming a cult hero as a result.
Over the next decade, Aguero would cement his reputation as one of the best finishers English football has ever seen. During his 10 seasons in Manchester, he only failed to hit 20 goals on two occasions, and that was due to injury.
Alongside other key figures such as Yaya Toure, Kevin De Bruyne and Vincent Kompany, he helped establish City as the dominant club in the Premier League, winning multiple domestic trophies.
Aguero made an emotional exit in 2021, having become the club’s record top scorer (260). He joined Barcelona on a free transfer before a heart condition shortly afterwards ended his playing career.
Career achievements at City
- Aguero won 15 major honours during his spell at the Etihad including five Premier League titles, one FA Cup, six Carabao Cups and three Community Shields.
- He won the Premier League Golden Boot after scoring 26 goals during the 2014/15 season.
- Aguero was named in the PFA Team of the Year on two separate occasions (2017/18 and 2018/19).
- He was also voted Manchester City’s Player of the Year on two occasions (2011/12 and 2014/15).
- Aguero was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2022.
