Cherki shares cheeky selfie he took with Prince William during FA Cup lift

Cherki - Prince William

Manchester City star Rayan Cherki managed to secure a unique souvenir following his side's FA Cup final victory over Chelsea at Wembley. While receiving his winner's medal, the French winger stopped Prince William for a cheeky selfie that has since gone viral on social media.

A royal encounter at Wembley

The Prince of Wales was in attendance at Wembley Stadium on Saturday in his official capacity as Patron of the Football Association.

After Manchester City secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Chelsea, Prince William took his place on the podium to hand out medals and the iconic trophy to Pep Guardiola’s squad.

While the proceedings are usually strictly formal, Cherki decided to break protocol to capture a memory of the historic afternoon.

As the long line of victorious players made their way past the royal, the French midfielder held up his iPhone after shaking William’s hand. The Prince, dressed in a sharp suit for the occasion, was happy to oblige, flashing a grin for the camera alongside the triumphant footballer.

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Prince William’s footballing allegiances

Despite his neutral role at the FA Cup final, it is a well-known fact that Prince William is a lifelong supporter of Aston Villa.

However, his usual matchday companion, Prince George, was notably absent from the Wembley stands this time around, despite having attended the 2024 final.

William has often spoken about his children's developing interest in the beautiful game and how they might choose their own teams. Speaking previously to TNT Sports, the Prince admitted: "I'm genuinely open to whoever they support. I'm a bit biased, but also they come to Villa games, so they're probably going to support Villa."

'I try not to be too biased!'

The match at Wembley held a particular irony for the royal family, given Prince George’s rumored affinity for Manchester City's opponents, Chelsea.

William has famously joked about his eldest son’s choice of club in the past, revealing the light-hearted friction the rivalry causes at home. During an appearance on the BBC, he teased: "I try not to be too biased, I said you can support anyone but Chelsea, so naturally he supports Chelsea."

Chelsea v Manchester City - Emirates FA Cup Final

Chelsea humbled at Wembley

While Cherki and his City team-mates revelled in their second trophy win of the season after the League Cup triumph in March, Chelsea were left despondent. A sublime flicked finish from Antoine Semenyo gave City a deserved victory on an afternoon that saw Chelsea only muster two shots on target. The Blues will be hoping for a much better campaign in 2026-27 season after confirming the appointment of Xabi Alonso as their new manager.