Thousands line streets for Man City victory parade

Thunderstorm fails to dampen spirits of fans determined to celebrate historic treble

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  Manchester City's Norwegian striker Erling Haaland holds the European Cup. AFP

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  A general view of the team buses passing by fans during the Treble Parade in Manchester. Manchester City completed the treble (Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup) after a 1-0 victory over Inter Milan in Istanbul secured them Champions League glory. Picture date: Monday June 12, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Man City. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.

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  Manchester City's Phil Foden with the Champions League trophy, Aymeric Laporte with the Emirates FA Cup and Ruben Dias with the Premier League trophy. PA

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  Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola celebrates during the treble parade. PA

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  Manchester City's Phil Foden with the Champions League trophy. PA

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  Manchester City's Phil Foden with the Champions League trophy, Aymeric Laporte with the Emirates FA Cup and Ruben Dias with the Premier League trophy. PA

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  Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips, left, with the FA Cup, Phil Foden with the Champions League trophy, and Bernardo Silva, right, with the Premier League trophy during the parade in Manchester to celebrate the club winning the treble. PA

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  The trophy parade is cheered by Manchester City fans as it passes through the streets of Manchester. AP

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  Fans take photos as the Manchester City bus passes through Manchester. Reuters

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  Manchester City's Bernardo Silva lifts the Premier League trophy. PA

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  Manchester City's Phil Foden with the Champions League trophy. PA

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  Manchester City fans take shelter from the rain ahead of the parade. PA

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  A City fan climbs a traffic light to get a better view. Reuters

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  City fans wait for the parade. PA

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  Manchester City fans in the rain during the parade. PA

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  A City fan with an inflatable Erling Haaland doll. PA

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  City fans line the streets of Manchester before the trophy parade. Getty

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  A street vendor with Champions League trophy balloons ahead of the treble parade. PA

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  A Manchester City fan looks upwards towards the rain clouds as the parade is delayed due to bad weather. Reuters

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  A fan with an inflatable Jack Grealish doll. PA

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  City fans try to shelter from the rain. Reuters

It was the moment Manchester City fans have spent years waiting for and not even the torrential rain could dampen their spirits as they welcomed their treble-winning heroes home.

Manchester was transformed into a sea of blue on Monday night as thousands lined the streets to celebrate City’s success at gaining the treble.

Saturday's Champions League final win over Inter Milan meant Pep Guardiola's side had completed the treble, having already secured the Premier League title and FA Cup – a feat only Manchester rivals United had managed in England before.

Fans climbed on bus shelters and signs in a bid to catch a glimpse of the team as they toured the city on their victory parade.

The players, including Erling Haaland, jumped up and down and partied on the open-top bus, with some throwing their shirts into the crowd.

The celebrations were initially delayed after storms hit the city and officials feared a lightning strike would hit.

But despite getting soaked, fans braved the weather and their roars and cheers thundered across the city.

When the main stage was finally opened to the public, swarms of fans ran to get a prime place at the front as Oasis’s Supersonic boomed into the crowd.

As Queen’s We are the Champions rang out, the players emerged on to the city centre stage proudly holding their three trophies.

Midfielder Phil Foden waved the Champions League trophy, while manager Guardiola took in the joy on the faces of fans and the players.

“We had to be the best parade with this rain, otherwise it is not Manchester,” Guardiola said to the delight of the waiting crowd.

“We don't want sunshine, we want rain, so it was perfect. They [the fans] are used to the rain.”

City captain Ilkay Gundogan praised the fans for their support as cannons of blue and white confetti were fired into the air.

“Thank you very much for all of the support during the whole season,” the midfielder told the crowd.

“It has been incredible and we got three trophies.”

Kyle Walker, Kevin De Bruyne and Gundogan, who scored twice against United to claim the FA Cup title nine days ago, each showed off one of the trophies they won.

City and England midfielder Jack Grealish said: “For the past 24 hours, I have had the best day and night. To be fair, I don't think I have slept.”

He’s not the only one – fans have been celebrating since City completed the treble on Saturday night with victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League final.

Oscar Field told The National he has hardly slept.

“We are over the ‘blue’ moon,” the 16-year-old student said.

“It has been a long time coming. When the final whistle blew on Saturday, I could finally relax.

“It still doesn’t seem real. I’ve hardly slept since. I came to Manchester early with my friends to see the team. I’m just utterly ecstatic.”

RAF pilot Ben Kinder travelled from Cambridge to see the parade.

Ben Kinder. Nicky Harley / The National

“I’ve been a City fan all my life, I came home to Rochdale to watch it with my friends and then after they won I managed to book two days off work so I could come and see the parade,” he said.

“It is still surreal. I’ve supported them through thick and thin and to see this today is just magical. I still can’t believe they’ve done it.”

Cameron McMulland, 17, arrived early to get a good vantage point to watch the players.

“My friends and I came early to get a good spot to see them,” he said. “We are still buzzing over them getting the treble. It’s just overwhelming.”

Cameron McMulland, Oscar Field and Daniel Hawkings. Nicky Harley / The National

Hoang Truong says the feeling of winning the Champions League still has not yet sunk in.

“I think Pep has really learnt to adapt to the Champions League,” he told the BBC.

“It is such a hard tournament to win. This is something I won't take for granted.

“I think they want to keep the standards going into the next season. They don't want to stop, why not go for another one?”

For the older generation, there was still a sense of disbelief at City's success.

“It's unbelievable,” said retired fan Gary Henley, 63. “We've been down the leagues, we've been there when we didn't win anything for ages.

“We went 35 years without a trophy. Now we've won the treble. It's unreal.”

As the players left the stage, the celebrations seemed far from over for the City fans, who continued to sing and dance.

“I really don't want this to end,” fan Gemma Golding said.

“This has honestly been the best year of my life.”