Philipp Lahm warns football must stay rooted after Manchester City ruling
Philipp Lahm wrote in a column for Die Zeit on 21 October 2026 that football must not be detached from its roots, citing Manchester City’s breach of Premier League financial regulations and calling for rule enforcement by non-profit institutions.
Lahm said he had long admired Manchester City’s on-field quality and Pep Guardiola’s management, describing the team as “a true unit on the pitch, a finely tuned orchestra” and praising Guardiola’s craft. He noted Guardiola’s own remark that “the most valuable of the valuable do not go to a club like City, who aren’t even the biggest football brand in their own home town.” Lahm added that the club developed many players into world stars rather than simply buying established superstars.
He listed several players whose careers flourished at City: Kevin De Bruyne, after being discarded by Chelsea; Rodri, whose class was overlooked in Madrid; Ilkay Gündogan, whose career was on the brink after injuries; and Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was “no longer wanted in Paris.” Lahm also noted that Manchester City signed players from Hamburg, Frankfurt and Wolfsburg, and that Erling Haaland in 2022 was the first player they targeted who was also pursued by Bayern Munich.
Lahm addressed the Premier League finding that Manchester City breached financial regulations between 2009 and 2018, allegedly investing almost €1bn more than allowed and declared, and noted the club faces potential forced relegation or having titles stripped. He recorded that City continue to deny wrongdoing and are appealing against the decision, and said it was right for the Premier League to crack down on unfair competition.
Turning to governance, Lahm defended Germany’s 50+1 rule, saying the federal cartel office recently upheld it and that it ensures the majority of voting rights remain with the parent club’s non-profit section. He said the exceptions for Leverkusen and Wolfsburg are under review, argued 50+1 allows investment while guaranteeing participation and strengthens members’ and fans’ rights, and suggested “perhaps it is because of this rule that the average attendance in Germany is higher than anywhere else in the world.”
Lahm wrote that football’s infrastructure is developed by the public, that his privileged career was supported by volunteers, and that his role as tournament director of the European Championship made political connections clearer. He said stadiums and clubs can remain places for societal debate only if elite and grassroots elements stay connected and the public is involved in the process, repeating that “Football must not be detached from its roots.” He added that this becomes possible when rules are enforced by an institution, ideally a non-profit one such as Uefa.
Lahm also addressed wider governance issues, saying “Uefa is standing firm against Gianni Infantino, who recently wanted to privatise the World Cup and its profits.” He wrote that, “Along with his friend Donald Trump, he was seen by many as breaking the normal rules when Folarin Balogun’s suspension was lifted,” that the outcry from the global football community was loud, and that “it is possible that the Fifa president will fall.” He concluded that when behaviour like that in Manchester and at Fifa is punished, it is a good thing.
City continue to appeal the Premier League decision, and Lahm argued that enforcement by non-profit institutions such as Uefa is necessary to prevent football from distancing itself from its grassroots, which he linked to the sport’s ability to drive engagement in civil society and to strengthen Europe.