Manchester City star Jack Grealish has described 2024 as “the most difficult year” of his life, marked by both personal milestones and professional setbacks.
Despite being part of a team that secured a fourth consecutive Premier League title, Grealish found himself relegated to a bit-part role under Pep Guardiola.
Grealish welcomed his first child, daughter Mila Rose, in October 2023 with partner Sasha Attwood. While becoming a father was a joyous occasion, it coincided with significant challenges on the pitch. He missed out on England’s Euro 2024 squad and struggled for consistent playing time at Manchester City.
This season has seen Grealish start only sporadically for Manchester City. His appearances have been mostly limited to cup competitions rather than league matches. On Saturday, he played the full 90 minutes for just the fourth time since October when City narrowly defeated Leyton Orient in the FA Cup.
In an interview after that match, Grealish expressed his desire to regain regular playing time: “Last year was weird because my little daughter was born,” he said.
“But apart from that, it was one of the most difficult years—probably the most difficult year of my life for many reasons.”
Grealish hopes to turn things around in the new year: “I feel like in my last few games… I am trying to be involved more in goals and assists.”He acknowledged that coming into games sporadically is challenging but remains optimistic about improving his situation through hard work.
Manchester City faces Real Madrid next week in their UEFA Champions League playoff tie—a crucial match given their current position outside top contenders in Europe’s premier club competition.
Reflecting on Saturday’s tough win over Leyton Orient, where they trailed at halftime against League One opposition, Grealish praised their opponents:
“A lot of credit has to go to Orient—they were outstanding.”
As he looks forward to bigger challenges ahead with Real Madrid looming large on Tuesday after facing lower-tier opposition just days before:
“That’s the beauty of this world we live in—we are going from Leyton Orient on Saturday to Real Madrid on Tuesday.”