The midfielder clocks up the milestone at the start of his fourth season at the Etihad Stadium.
He was a 75th minute replacement for Croatian team-mate Joško Gvardiol in our Friday night game at Selhurst Park.
He’s scored 10 goals so far and helped us to six major honours, with one medal in each of the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Community Shield, FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.
Composed on and off the ball with a level of control that means he often keeps possession in tight spaces, Kovačić has spent well over a decade as one of Europe’s most respected footballers.
Now 32, he arrived from Chelsea in the summer of 2023 with a CV that had also seen him represent Real Madrid and Inter.
He played 46 times in total in 2023/24 as we lifted our record fourth successive Premier League title as well as silverware in the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.
Seven strikes in 42 outings followed during a more difficult campaign in 2024/25, including a stunning effort on the opening day against Chelsea which won our Goal of the Month award.
Our No. 8 missed a lot of last term with an ankle injury, but returned in the final few weeks to help us over the line in the FA Cup and in terms of Champions League qualification.
Now he’ll be looking to make a difference under our current boss Enzo Maresca.
Kovačić is only the 227th player in our 132-year history as Manchester City to hit the three-figure mark.
Everyone at City would like to congratulate Mateo on reaching this milestone!
