Pep Guardiola has made it clear that he plans to step away from football management once his time at Manchester City comes to an end. Even though he signed a new two-year contract last year that keeps him at the Etihad Stadium until 2027, Guardiola has shared his thoughts about potentially taking a long break from coaching to focus on himself.
Looking back, Guardiola started his managerial career back in 2008 when he took over the senior team at Barcelona from Frank Rijkaard. He had an incredible four years there before moving to Bayern Munich, and in 2016, he began his journey with Manchester City.
At 54 years old, Pep Guardiola is recognized as one of football’s greatest managers. His career is impressive, featuring 12 league titles across three different countries and two Champions League trophies. He’s even made history by being the first manager to achieve a European treble with two clubs. Despite all his incredible achievements, Guardiola has opened up about feeling exhausted at times. He’s been contemplating a break to prioritize his well-being, which makes him relatable—after all, everyone knows the struggle of balancing career success with self-care. In a recent interview with GQ, Guardiola shared his thoughts on the future, admitting, “I don’t know what will happen next.” It’s a candid reminder that even those at the top can feel the weight of their responsibilities. But I know for sure that after my time at City, I’m going to take a break. I need it. I have no idea how long it will be – maybe a year, two, five, or even longer. I just want to stop and focus on myself, to embrace that stillness. In Catalan, we say ‘badar,’ which means to watch life as it passes by, much like how cows watch a train go by. That’s what I want – to pause and simply observe.”
Pep Guardiola
Guardiola reminisced about his unexpected journey in coaching, saying, “I never imagined I would coach in Germany or England or even lead Barcelona. Life often presents new paths that we might not anticipate. For now, I plan to stop and figure things out from there.”
As for what’s next for Manchester City, they have a pre-season friendly scheduled against their sister club, Palermo, next month, before starting their Premier League campaign against Wolves on August 16.
