Aguero is City’s record goalscorer, finding the net 260 times between 2011 and 2021, including the historic injury time goal that sealed our first Premier League title back in 2012.
Alvarez, now a World Cup winner with Argentina, was 12 years old and learning the game in his hometown of Calchin when Aguero found the net against QPR that day.
Despite it happening on the other side of the world, Alvarez says that was an unforgettable day for all football fans in Argentina.
The 24-year-old saw the adoration City fans held for Aguero and became enamoured with the idea of one day plying his trade in England.
“I remember that moment well, because for Argentina it was a huge moment as it was Kun who scored. And to win the Premier League title in the last seconds was huge for City,” he said in our latest City Studios feature reflecting on the impact of Argentinians on City.
“I remember watching it with my family at home. I think it was lunchtime in Argentina and we were watching it, I remember shouting at the TV when he scored!
“Seeing everything my fellow Argentines have achieved here, and managing it in another country, seeing that the people here love you so much and now we can see the statue that Aguero has here at the Etihad Stadium.
“It pays tribute to the number of goals he scored here, all the titles, the recognition he was given. You see that and it makes you want to try and do the same.”
City have a close bond with Argentina with several players having highly successful stints at the Club.
Willy Caballero, Martin Demichelis, Nicolas Otamendi, Carlos Tevez and Pablo Zabaleta all won trophies during spells at the Etihad Stadium, with Zabaleta in particular earning cult hero status along the way.
When he made the decision to leave River Plate, one of the giants of Argentinian football, Alvarez says conversations with the likes of Aguero and Otamendi helped him ensure City was the right move.
“I knew about the players who were here,” he stated.
“Players who have passed through here and have left their mark, who have won many titles, and before coming they gave me some peace of mind.
“I was able to talk with Kun, with Otamendi, and they told me a bit about the club, giving me more information about the world of Manchester City!
“It’s really nice to have this recognition from the fans towards us, the Argentines, a bond which actually extends to all the players here.
“But with the Argentines coming from a country so far away, from another continent, and having the people support you so much is very nice.”
Alvarez landed in Manchester in the summer of 2022 alongside fellow striker Erling Haaland.
Ahead of his first campaign, which saw him become the first man in history to win the World Cup, Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the same term, Alvarez shared an important conversation with fan favourite Zabaleta.
Our striker says he left that chat well aware that while form can come and go, he must work hard for the team every time he takes to the pitch.
“I remember that when I arrived, he [Zabaleta] travelled with us on the pre-season tour, I was able to share some Argentinian mate, have a bit of a chat with him,” Alvarez reflected.
“He told me a bit about what Manchester City is, about everything he had experienced.
“And I also noticed he is a great person who always wants the best for everyone around him.
“We can all make mistakes, but the effort, the commitment, those are non-negotiable and I think that’s what characterised him. So I try to do that.
“Beyond making mistakes, the commitment, the effort has to be there so I always give 100%.”
