Why Manchester City Captain Vincent Kompany Can Become Icon in Premier League

You don’t get many defenders like Vincent Kompany. Strong, intelligent and with supreme leadership skills, the Belgian has been one of Manchester City’s most vital players in recent years.

It could even be argued that without Kompany, City’s rise from widely adored but relatively unsuccessful club to global superpower would not have played out as straightforward as it did. Having been there from the start of the club’s journey to the top, Kompany is now what you could call one of City’s ambassadors.

In any case, he’s certainly become one of their most respected players. But now, while the club is chasing a second consecutive league title, Vincent Kompany can take the final step and evolve into one of the Premier League’s iconic captains.

Throughout the years, we’ve seen a number of players of this type. At Manchester United, for example, both Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic played a significant role in the club’s success during Sir Alex Ferguson’s final few years. It wasn’t just their actions on the pitch that made them important: The respect they commanded by reputation and stature made them constitutive parts of the teams they played for.

Looking at other European leagues, the same can be said about centre-backs such as Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos and Juventus’ Giorgio Chiellini. For any attacker, it must be slightly anxiety inducing to read these names on a teamsheet—and not just because these men know how to tackle. They’re just that reputable.

The prime example of the iconic captain centre-back, however, must be Chelsea’s John Terry.

The Englishman, who has played for Chelsea practically his whole career, was there before Roman Abramovich’s millions began transforming the club into an undeniable Premier League heavyweight, and he was there when the London-based club finally reached the pinnacle of success by winning the Champions League in 2012.

A lot can be said about Terry’s performances for club and country, but the point here is that the centre-back’s appearance has become synonymous with the story Chelsea represents. While managers came and went, while players were bought and sold, and while the club was undergoing an unprecedented transformation, Terry was a stable factor for fans to hold on to.

That alone made him a great leader and and an icon for his club. Similarly, Kompany must now become Manchester City’s tower of strength.

"

Strong as ever, the Etihad remains a fortress. #BoysWereOnIt #TwoGames #TwoWins #MCFC pic.twitter.com/vXTOT22S1V

— Vincent Kompany (@VincentKompany) August 25, 2014"

In the past, Vincent Kompany has shown himself to be a leader of men time and time again. Now truly a mature and fully developed player, he must utilise that ability to lead his team to further glory. Despite their enviable ability to attack and score goals, Kompany's leadership could be crucial to Manchester City’s future success.

What’s more, Kompany can make his name synonymous with the club for some years to come. He might already be a legend to some fans, but who wouldn’t want to become a deity?