Where are they now? Swansea’s 2013 League Cup-winning team
The last 10 League Cups have been won by either Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool or Chelsea.
However, it wasn’t always this way. In 2013, Swansea City took on League One Bradford City at Wembley Stadium. The Bantams had done superbly well to get to the final, beating Arsenal and Aston Villa along the way, but once there they were brutally outmatched by a magnificent Swansea side led by Michael Laudrup.
The Swans smashed Bradford 5-0 to record the biggest ever winning margin in League Cup final history.
But 10 years hence, where are the members of that magical side that so enchanted us? The side that won at Anfield and Stamford Bridge en route to their historic triumph at Wembley? Read on and find out!
Goalkeeper: Gerhard Tremmel
Years at Swansea: 6 (2011-2017)
Swansea appearances: 49
Retired in: 2017
Gerhard Tremmel was a long-time back-up goalie for Swansea but Laudrup showed faith with him for the final and he delivered a solid performance. He retired a Swan in 2017 and is currently a scout for the club, based in his native Germany.
Right-back: Angel Rangel
Years at Swansea: 11 (2007-2018)
Swansea appearances: 374
Retired in: 2020
The Spaniard with the rhyming name joined the Swans all the way back in League One as one of the first signings under the Roberto Martinez regime. By the time of the final, he was already a legend, and his assist (for the fifth goal) only added to that. He left Swansea for QPR in 2018, and retired two years later in 2020. He is now U12s manager for second-tier Welsh club Pontardawe Town.
Centre-back: Ki Sung-yueng
Years at Swansea: 6 (2012-2018)
Swansea appearances: 162
Current club: FC Seoul
The South Korean was a key figure under Laudrup and played at the heart of defence in the final despite being a midfielder by trade (he was covering for the injured Chico Flores). After spells with Newcastle and Mallorca didn’t work out, Ki returned to FC Seoul.
Centre-back: Ashley Williams
Years at Swansea: 9 (2007-2016)
Swansea appearances: 352
Retired in: 2021
An iconic captain, Williams was merely a stand-in during the final and only inherited the armband full-time at the end of the season. Still, the centre-back is a monumental figure in Swansea’s history who, after short spells with Everton, Stoke and Bristol, retired in 2021.
Left-back: Ben Davies
Years at Swansea: 2 (2012-2014)
Swansea appearances: 85
Current club: Spurs
Ben Davies was only 19 when he started for Swansea in the 2013 final. He had been given his debut by Laudrup and impressed so much that he became the club’s starter. He is currently at Spurs and has been since 2014, making over 300 appearances for the club.
Centre-midfield: Leon Britton
Years at Swansea: 15 (2002-2010 + 2011-2018)
Swansea appearances: 520
Retired in: 2022
The Wandsworth Xavi was well into his second spell at Swansea at this point and was the key cog in midfield, the pivot around which the entire passing system turned. Britton was a little genius and ran the show at Wembley.
Britton retired in 2018, fifth in Swansea’s all-time league appearances table with 460 and with a spell as Caretaker Manager under his belt as well. He has held various backroom jobs since then, and after leaving as Swans’ Sporting Director in 2020, rejoined them in a mentoring role within their youth set-up, though he also stepped down last summer.
He also came out of retirement to play amateur football in Wales for a brief while.
Centre-midfield: Jonathan De Guzman
Years at Swansea: 2 (2012-2014)
Swansea appearances: 93
Current club: Sparta Rotterdam
De Guzman signed to play for Laudrup and, like a few others, left after the Dane had been sacked midway through the 2013/14 campaign. But back in February 2013, he was resplendent in midfield, scoring twice to turn an incredible win into a historic one. He now plies his trade for Sparta Rotterdam.
Attacking midfield: Pablo Hernandez
Years at Swansea: 2 (2012-2014)
Swansea appearances: 71
Current club: Castellon
Laudrup’s iconic status allowed Swansea to attract a lot of top talent, perhaps none moreso than Pablo Hernandez who joined from Valencia. The Spaniard was Swansea’s creative hub and it was no surprise that he picked up an assist with a delightful pass for Michu’s goal.
After a great spell for Leeds under the mercurial Marcelo Bielsa, Hernandez went back to Spain where he now plays for Castellón, a club where he also is part owner. Guess that’s one way to ensure you don’t get dropped!
Right-wing: Nathan Dyer
Years at Swansea: 11 (2008-2015 + 2016-2020)
Swansea appearances: 347
Retired in: 2021
Swansea’s little winger had a big day out at Wembley. Dyer scored twice, including the game’s opening goal, to bag the man of the match award. Apart from a brief loan spell to Leicester (impeccably timed to allow him to pick up a Premier League winner’s medal), he remained a Swan from 2008 all the way up to his retirement in 2021.
Left-wing: Wayne Routledge
Years at Swansea: 10 (2011-2021)
Swansea appearances: 304
Retired in: 2021
Routledge bagged an assist (for fellow winger Dyer) in the 2013 final and has been a beacon of longevity and loyalty. Routledge played on for Swansea until 2021, when he finally retired after 10 years and over 300 games for the Welsh side.
Striker: Michu
Years at Swansea: 2 (2012-2014)
Swansea appearances: 67
Retired in: 2017
The mighty Michu was a truly magical force in English football for his first season. Laudrup plucked him from Rayo Vallecano and gave him the no. 9 shirt, playing him as a false nine. Michu rattled in 22 goals across all competitions, including the second in the final itself. He was never the same after that season, however, as injuries took their toll. He retired in 2017, back with his native Oviedo, and had a spell as sporting director of Burgos CF. He’s now technical secretary of Burgos CF.
Sub: Garry Monk
Years at Swansea: 10 (2004-2014)
Swansea appearances: 270
Retired in: 2014
Swansea’s legendary skipper was only a sub in 2013 and, after being allowed the share the trophy lift with Williams, eventually passed on the armband in the summer and a year after the final, he was made interim player-manager. After success in that role, he got the job permanently and record an eighth-place Premier League finish. The next season began poorly and he was sacked after a dreadful run of form. He rebounded with Sheffield Wednesday but got sacked a year later, having won just 18 of his 58 games in charge.
Sub: Dwight Tiendalli
Years at Swansea: 3 (2012-2015)
Swansea appearances: 46
Retired in: 2018
Tiendalli was a useful sub for Swansea during the Laudrup years. He left in 2014 and retired in 2018.
Sub: Roland Lamah
Years at Swansea: 1 (2013-2014)
Swansea appearances: 24
Retired in: 2021
Lamah had only joined Swansea a month before the final in 2013, but he could never establish himself in South Wales. He went on to play for Ferencvaros, FC Dallas, FC Cincinnati and Memphis 901.
Unused sub: Michel Vorm
Years at Swansea: 3 (2011-2014)
Swansea appearances: 97
Retired in: 2020
Whilst he played no part in the historic final, it’s worth mentioning Vorm was Swansea’s goalkeeper for three impressive seasons. Laudrup stuck with Tremmel for the final but Vorm was a rock in the league for a brief spell. He joined Spurs as a back-up for Hugo Lloris in 2014, a role he filled with varying degrees of success. He retired in 2020.
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