Manchester City unveil Sergio Aguero statue at Etihad Stadium
Manchester City have unveiled a permanent statue to the club's record goal-scorer Sergio Aguero.
The sculpture captures Aguero's celebrations after scoring the winning goal in the 93rd minute of City's last game of the 2011/12 season, securing the club's first Premier League title in 44 years.
The City legend, who was at the unveiling, said: "I'm very happy with this statue it's special.
"We don't know what would have happened if we lost the Premier League that year. So that year changed everything and that moment changed my life.
"It changed the club, it changed everything. For me, it's the best moment in my life."
The large-scale statue, on the east side of the Etihad Stadium, was created by award-winning sculptor Andy Scott and has been constructed using thousands of welded pieces of galvanised steel.
He said he wanted to capture the "sheer joy and elation" of the famous moment.
"We looked at perhaps the actual strike of the ball, it all happened so quickly but we decided on a composite of him and the famous celebration and that is what we went for.
"The club agreed it was the moment, and here it is."
Scott, created the statue of Aguero entirely from his studio in Philadelphia, before it was transported to Manchester.
At night, Aguero’s statue, along with those of team-mates Vincent Kompany and David Silva, will be specially illuminated with blue tinted lighting.
Aguero, who was recently inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame, won fifteen major trophies during his time at the Club, including five Premier League titles, one FA Cup and a record six League Cups.
Manchester City’s Chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, said: "Sergio Aguero’s contribution to Manchester City in a defining era for the Club cannot be overstated. He is without doubt one of the greatest players that has ever played the game.
"When our fans think of Sergio, they are immediately drawn to the iconic moment of 93:20 and the goal that secured the Club’s first league title in 44 years, but as his record of 260 goals for the Club demonstrates, his legacy and impact at Manchester City go far beyond that.
"It is only fitting that Sergio has been recognised with a statue of his own, in celebration and honour of his accomplishments in one of the most important chapters of Manchester City’s rich and long history.”