The Premier League champions used a collage by Ajay V John to wish Pep Guardiola on his birthday who handed over the team its maiden treble.
The collage of Pep Guardiola. Ajay V John near his collage. (Supplied)
Football is in the DNA of the average Malayali, and each legend is so close to their hearts. So is Pep Guardiola, the legendary manager of Manchester City FC.
The Cityzens in Kerala were on cloud nine when Manchester City’s treble trophy tour of India commenced from Kochi in September. Ajay V John, a Muvattupuzha, Ernakulam-based Chartered Management Accountant student celebrated the tour by making a collage of Guardiola using Rubik’s Cube on 23 September last year.
Ajay almost forgot his feat — until Thursday, 18 January — when the club posted a video of the making of the collage to wish Guardiola his 53rd birthday. Later, the legend posted the making video on his Instagram as well.
Expressing happiness over the European champions selecting his collage to wish Guardiola, Ajay told South First that the post was an unexpected one.
According to Ajay, he made the collage using Rubik’s cubes during the treble trophy tour of Manchester City FC at LuLu Mall in Ernakulam on 23 September last year.
“During the treble trophy tour of the team in Kochi, I had a chance to collaborate with the team and showcase my work. And they did not post the video anywhere,” Ajay told South First.
“I thought that they wouldn’t be posting the work since a long time had passed after the trophy tour,” he added.
Elated by the surprise given by the nine-time Premier League Champions to both him and Guardiola, Ajay said: “ The club choosing my work to wish Guardiola who won The Best FIFA Men’s Coach award this year was both surprising and happy for me.”
“What added to my happiness was the legendary coach reposting the same on his Instagram profile,” Ajay said.
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The 21-year-old artist had made headlines during the FIFA World Cup 2022 after he showcased his 10.8-metre-long and nine-metre-wide drawing of Messi.
Ajay’s drawing of Messi displayed on college basketball court. (Screen Grab)
The image was showcased on the basketball court of Nirmala College in Muvattupuzha on 1 November 2022.
Ajay also holds records in the India Book of Records and Asia Book of Records for drawing Mahatma Gandhi on eggshells.
The treble trophy tour of Manchester City in India kicked off in Kochi on 22 September last year and it was on display at LuLu Mall in the city the next day.
The four coveted trophies — the Premier League trophy, the FA Cup, the UEFA Champions League trophy and the UEFA Super Cup — were brought to Kochi and was accompanied by Manchester City legend Nedum Onuoha.
The trophies have visited several countries including Japan, South Korea, Greece, the UK, and China before reaching India.
From India, the touring party went to Indonesia, the UAE, Australia, Norway, Belgium, the US and Brazil. The Argentina tour is scheduled for February this year.
Incidentally, Messi and his boys are expected in Kerala next year.
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