John Guidetti: The Forgotten Manchester City Talent Who Shone at Feyenoord
Manchester City’s Champions League clash with Feyenoord sparks memories of a player whose bright future was cruelly interrupted by misfortune—John Guidetti. The Swedish striker, once one of City’s brightest academy prospects, dazzled during a loan spell at Feyenoord but was derailed by a freak injury that changed his career forever.
The Rise of a Promising Talent
Guidetti joined City as a 16-year-old under compatriot Sven-Goran Eriksson, quickly making an impact at the academy with his prolific scoring record. By 2010, Roberto Mancini included him in the first team’s USA tour, where he made his friendly debut against Sporting Lisbon.
Later that year, he made his competitive debut in a League Cup clash, even providing the assist for the winning goal. City believed in his potential, handing him a three-year contract in 2011.
Feyenoord Breakthrough
After loan stints at Burnley and amid a contract controversy with FC Twente, Guidetti finally found his groove during a loan spell at Feyenoord. The Swede was electric, netting 20 goals in 23 appearances in the Eredivisie and proving why City had invested in him.
But tragedy struck in April 2012 when a bout of food poisoning at his girlfriend’s birthday party spiraled into a rare virus that severely impacted his nervous system. Reflecting on the ordeal, Guidetti told the Mirror:
“I ate a bit of chicken… but it led to food poisoning. It got worse when the illness led to a rare virus which badly affected my nervous system. The day after playing for Feyenoord, I couldn’t even stand on my right leg. I just fell to the ground.”
Physicians were alarmed, and City’s club doctor Philip Batty arrived to oversee his treatment. The prognosis was grim:
“A professor in the hospital told me my career was hanging by a very thin thread. I burst into tears. I saw my whole future crashing down.”
The Fight to Recover
Despite the setback, City showed faith, extending Guidetti’s contract in late 2012. However, his recovery was grueling:
“They sent me to a clinic in Italy, and all I could do was an exercise to help me get out of a chair. One minute I was in heaven, the next in hell.”
When he returned to the under-21s in 2013, his teammates were stunned by the physical toll the illness had taken:
“The boys at City shouted: ‘F*g hell, John, just look at your leg!’ They couldn’t believe how thin it had become.”
Setbacks and Controversies
Just as he regained fitness, Guidetti suffered a knee injury requiring surgery. Loans to Stoke City and Celtic followed, but both stints were marred by controversies. At Stoke, he apologized to Mark Hughes after critical comments in Swedish media. At Celtic, he was censured by the Scottish FA for singing an offensive song about Rangers.
By the end of his contract, Manuel Pellegrini had replaced Mancini, and Guidetti left on a free transfer to join Celta Vigo in La Liga.
What Could Have Been
Now 32 and playing for AIK in Sweden after stints at Alaves and Hannover, Guidetti may reflect on his time at City and Feyenoord as a tale of unrealized potential. When he watches City vs Feyenoord on Tuesday, he’ll be reminded of the incredible highs and devastating lows of his career.
“I wanted to break into the first team at Man City… I would definitely have done it if not for the virus,” he said.
For Guidetti, the clash between his former clubs is more than a game—it’s a poignant reminder of what might have been.
