The 61-year-old was our Director of Football for 13 years from 2012 through to this summer before retiring and handing over the reins to Hugo Viana.
During that time he oversaw the arrival and departure of countless players as we established ourselves as one of the best sides in world football.
That included the captures of now iconic City stars such as Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson, Ilkay Gundogan, Raheem Sterling, John Stones and Kyle Walker amongst many others.
Now, his legacy at City is captured in a feature-length City Studios documentary that features many of his closest allies and loved ones.
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During the film, he sits down for dinner with Pep Guardiola and Ferran Soriano at Tast, a Catalan-themed restaurant in central Manchester of which they are all investors.
During the conversation, Soriano asks him which signing stands out in Begiristain’s mind.
“For me, Fernandinho is right up there,” he says straight away.
The Brazilian joined from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013 and played 383 times over nine seasons, claiming 13 major honours including the 2021/22 Premier League title as captain.
Soriano picks up on that point, stating: “It was a huge gamble. A guy playing in Ukraine – remember?
“And it was your decision!”
Later in the piece, Begiristain is looking through a scrapbook full of signing photos.
Reaching the picture of himself sat next to Fernandinho, he says: “I always loved this man!
“He was the first one and he stayed for a while!”
The segment ends with Begiristain flipping to the final page in the book to see his arm around Pep Guardiola on the day the Catalan signed his deal in 2016.
“He changed the club, the way to see football, the way to live it and he has changed the country,” he says of his friend and colleague.
