Abu Dhabi: Manchester City Football Club stars used to showcasing their skills at stadiums around the world recently turned Etihad’s new hub at Zayed International Airport into a makeshift football pitch for a stunning new video.
Elite players from the treble-winning Manchester City men’s first team produced some breathtaking football for the video, created to celebrate Etihad Airways’ new home, Zayed International Airport, which opened in late 2023.
The story begins with a young Emirati watching a clip of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on his mobile phone while walking through the airport. He looks up to see a pyramid display of footballs before spotting some of the Manchester City stars including Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne in the airport.
The young fan motions to grab a ball but is discouraged by Jack Grealish. However, he decides to take one after receiving a nod of approval from Pep Guardiola himself, causing the pyramid to collapse and hundreds of balls to scatter across the terminal.
Manchester City players then show off their remarkable football skills to rebuild the display. The video — also featuring Ederson, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, and Nathan Ake — ends with the players and manager catching a flight back to Manchester.
The short film, created to celebrate and promote Etihad Airways’ new home at Zayed International Airport, premiered on Monday in New York, at a celebratory event marking the return of Etihad’s A380 connecting Abu Dhabi to New York.
Iconic video
Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad, said: “This video captures the joy of any young football fan given the opportunity to interact with their favourite sporting stars. It’s also a fantastic medium for showcasing Etihad Airways’ stunning new terminal.”
Elena Sorlini, Managing Director and CEO at Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “Since its inception, we wanted Zayed International Airport to be a welcoming place for travellers worldwide, a place that re-imagines the airport experience and where everyone can feel at home, enjoying the sense of a place they feel comfortable in. We are happy that this iconic video shows how at ease the Manchester Football Club players are, playing football like the terminal was their training field. A breathtaking fusion of modern materials, natural light and space, Zayed International Airport proved to be the ideal location for such a spectacular display of the Manchester City football players’ skills.”
Ferran Soriano, Chief Executive Officer, City Football Group, said: “Manchester City has a long-standing partnership with Etihad Airways and together we have celebrated a number of very special moments. The unveiling of this video is one of them as it marks a special moment for Etihad Airways and for the new and extraordinary Zayed International Airport.”
