FA Cup triumph was a fitting way to end a fantastic season for the Belgian, who was City's most consistent performer throughout the term (rivalled by former Hamburg teammate Nigel de Jong).
The 25-year-old was Roberto Mancini's first choice centre-back all campaign and only missed one Premier League fixture. Perhaps one of his more impressive performances came in the 1-0 victory over Chelsea in September, where he restricted Didier Drogba to shooting from long range for the entire game.
Kompany captained the side, in the absence of Carlos Tevez, as City secured a place in the FA Cup Final at the expense of Manchester United, with a 1-0 win in April - and it looks like he is set to be given the role on a permanent basis, should the Argentinian (and fellow member of the PFA Team of the Year) get his wish to leave the club this summer.
|Image courtesy of mcfc.co.uk|
The powerful defender will fit the bill perfectly. His presence alone is enough to ward off attackers, but with the added responsibility of leadership, Kompany will command greater respect from his fellow professionals in a role he will relish and make his own for several years.
At £6m, the Belgian was probably one of Mark Hughes' most shrewd captures during his reign as City boss, and, at the time, no one would realise how crucial his arrival would prove to be.
He was employed mainly as a holding midfielder to allow the likes of Stephen Ireland, Elano, Robinho and Shaun Wright-Phillips the licence to roam free, before being converted to a centre back after the departure of Richard Dunne to Aston Villa.
Now he will be a fantastic role model for young defenders coming through the ranks - the likes of Dedryck Boyata in particular will learn vast amounts from his fellow countryman, and new arrival Stefan Savic will surely turn to Kompany for advice on how to improve his game. Not to mention the academy and Elite Development stars vying for their opportunity in the first team.
Kompany is in the peak of his career and, minus a few championships in his native Belgium, only has last season's FA Cup triumph to boast on his CV. But all that is about to change. He is at the heart of City's revolution, and he is going to be the man hoisting the trophies aloft as he goes down in history as being one of the club's most successful captains.
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