In a recent interview, Pep Guardiola, widely regarded as the best football manager of this era, said that he will stop coaching once his contract with Manchester City ends.
The 54-year-old Spanish tactical genius noted that years of coaching have worn him down both physically and mentally, which is why he plans to take an extended break when the time comes.
Guardiola signed a new contract with Manchester City last November that will keep him with the team until 2027. But he made it clear that this will be his last chapter with the English champions.
Length of Break: Short or Long, Still Unknown
Guardiola told GQ magazine, “I will stop when my contract with Manchester City ends. For a while, I won’t be coaching anymore. That choice has already been made. How long will I be gone? I don’t know. It could be one year, two years, or even ten or fifteen years.”
He said, “I never planned to be a coach,” as he thought back on his unexpected path as a manager.
“I didn’t know I would be able to manage Barcelona, go to Germany, or come to England. While we may believe we have control over our lives, unexpected changes can occur. If I can’t decide, I’ll let things happen as they are. My plan right now is to stop everything and see what happens next.”
Nine Years at City: The End of a Legendary Era
Guardiola has been in charge of Manchester City since 2016 and has led the team in 533 matches. This is more than the total number of games he coached at Barcelona (235) and Bayern Munich (162). He won 376 games for City and brought home 18 trophies, including six Premier League titles and one UEFA Champions League trophy.
Guardiola changed City’s style of play and the way English football is played in general with his high-pressing, possession-based philosophy, which set a new standard in the modern game.
Hard Seasons and a Lot of Stress
Last season had its ups and downs, even though it was a huge success. Guardiola was under a lot of pressure after a tough stretch of five matches without a win in November. Some fans even called for his dismissal. The Manchester City board, on the other hand, stood by him and offered him a two-year contract extension during this difficult time.
“Being a coach has taken years off my life,” Guardiola said. “Every day is very hard and tiring when the team isn’t doing well. And it’s not just me; every coach has to deal with this. The pressure is too much.”
When Guardiola officially leaves his job as head coach of Manchester City in 2027, football will lose one of its best tacticians for a short time. But maybe he’ll finally get his “life” back outside of football, which years of coaching have slowly taken away.
Genius doesn’t stay on the sidelines for long. When will Pep Guardiola be back? Perhaps he will return in a year, or perhaps not at all. No one knows what the answer is. All fans can do now is enjoy the time they have left and watch the end of a significant era.
