A viral video involving Rayan Ait-Nouri has triggered widespread speculation following Manchester City FC’s FA Cup victory over Chelsea FC at Wembley Stadium.
The Algerian defender appeared detached from the celebrations after City secured a 1-0 win in the 2025-26 FA Cup final on Saturday, leading some supporters to question whether he was unhappy with coach Pep Guardiola’s decision to leave him out of the matchday line-up.
City claimed their second trophy of the season thanks to a second-half goal from Ghanaian forward Antoine Simeone in the 71st minute. The decisive moment came after a pass from Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, helping Guardiola’s side add the FA Cup to their earlier League Cup success.
Despite the celebrations that followed the final whistle, attention quickly shifted towards Ait-Nouri after footage circulated on social media showing him inside the Manchester City team bus while teammates celebrated enthusiastically around him.
The video, reportedly filmed by teammate Rayan Cherki, appeared to show the former Wolverhampton defender asleep and showing little reaction during the festivities.
The footage prompted intense debate online, particularly among Algerian supporters, many of whom interpreted the scene as a sign of frustration over his exclusion from the Wembley final.
Guardiola instead selected English player Nico O’Reilly ahead of the Algerian international, a decision that surprised many fans from Algeria who had hoped to see Ait-Nouri feature in one of the season’s biggest matches.
Some supporters drew comparisons with Guardiola’s previous handling of former Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez, who also experienced periods of exclusion from major matches during his time at Manchester City.
A significant section of Algerian fans argued that Ait-Nouri’s apparent indifference was unlikely to be accidental, suggesting it would have been difficult to sleep naturally in a bus filled with loud celebrations.
Others, however, offered a different interpretation. Some Manchester City supporters believed the defender’s behaviour had little to do with disappointment and instead reflected his concentration on the club’s continuing Premier League ambitions.
The speculation gained further attention because of comments Ait-Nouri had made before the final. Speaking to the BBC ahead of the match, the defender openly expressed his excitement about the prospect of playing at Wembley.
“I am very excited to play this match against Chelsea. It will be a tough match. Playing at Wembley is incredible, the stadium is huge,” he said.
He added: “Playing at Wembley is really great.”
The Algerian international also spoke positively about his relationship with Guardiola before the match, praising the Manchester City manager for helping him improve several aspects of his game.
“I enjoy training every day with these players and with this coach. I have improved my weaknesses a lot, and I am very happy with the progress I am making every day,” he said.
Ait-Nouri further stated: “Guardiola contributed to my development in many aspects, defensively in terms of positioning, decision-making in passing or facing, as well as the timing of sending crosses. He improved me a lot.”
While the defender’s recent comments highlighted admiration for Guardiola’s coaching methods, the viral footage has nevertheless intensified discussion around his omission from one of Manchester City’s most important matches of the season.
For now, neither the player nor the club has publicly addressed the online speculation surrounding the incident.
