Giorgi Kinkladze was in good company during Manchester City’s important 2-1 win over Arsenal in the Premier League, leaving fans stunned by his unfamiliar appearance as he posed for a photo with Oasis star Noel Gallagher. The former City midfielder had returned to England to see his former club take a big step forward in the title race, with City now trailing by just three points.
Sharing the moment on X (formerly Twitter), the Georgian wrote: “It’s been a few days but the win against Arsenal still feels incredible. Games like that show character and what this great club stands for. I’m happy to share this moment with my old friend Noel Gallagher. Football, music and Manchester as it should be. City till the day I die.”
The post sparked a wave of comments from City supporters. One person wrote: “Giorge, you are one of City’s great players. Great to see you playing in City colors. Good luck.” Another added: “You’re the best person I’ve ever seen, Jorge.”
A third fan said: “My first hero, what an amazing player you were,” while a fourth simply commented: “Two legends.” A fifth summed it up with one word: “iconic.”
Kinkladze spent three seasons at Maine Road in the mid-90s, becoming a cult hero during one of the darkest periods in the club’s history. His brilliant dribbling, amazing solo runs and unforgettable goals brought about rare moments of joy.
Gallagher first described him as “either the scariest thing I’ve ever seen, or the best thing I’ve ever seen.”
“I flew from London to watch his debut against Tottenham and sat next to Terry Venables who was doing commentary or something,” he previously recalled of when City signed the Georgian. “When I first saw ‘Kinky,’ I was like, ‘This is either the scariest thing I’ve ever seen, or it’s the best thing I’ve ever seen.’
“I couldn’t decide which one it was. It’s only available in the City.”
Gallagher isn’t the only one who has fond memories of Kinkladze. Former City team-mate Chris Greenacre says the diminutive midfielder was very good and was the “closest thing” to Argentine legend Diego Maradona.
“Georgi Kinkladze, oh my god! What he could do was just incredible,” Greenaker said. “For those who don’t know him, he is probably the closest to Maradona in terms of ability.
“He played with a low center of gravity, so he could move his hips and jump over players very easily. During training, he would easily pass three or four players and surprise us all. And he was very strong for his size (5 feet 9 inches).”
“Both the players and the fans loved him. His passing ability was just phenomenal. He was definitely the best I’ve ever been around.”
Man City defeated Burnley 1-0 in midweek and are currently top of the Premier League. They are level with Arsenal on 70 points, but Josep Guardiola’s side lead on goal difference.
