Pep Guardiola to take a break from football after 2027
Pep Guardiola has confirmed he will take a break from football or retire once his contract with Manchester City ends in 2027.
The 54-year-old Spaniard signed a two-year extension in November 2023, keeping him at the Etihad Stadium until June 2027.
That would mark 11 years at the helm, making him the longest-serving manager in the club’s modern era.
Since arriving in 2016, Guardiola has presided over the most successful period in Manchester City’s history, winning 18 major trophies, including six Premier League titles and the club’s first-ever UEFA Champions League crown in 2023. Only Sir Alex Ferguson, with 13 league titles, has won more top-flight championships in England.
Although Guardiola had been heavily linked with the England job before Thomas Tuchel’s appointment, he chose to extend his stay at City despite ongoing uncertainty. The club is currently facing 115 charges for alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations, with a verdict expected in the near future.
“After City, I’m going to stop”
Speaking to ESPN Brasil, Guardiola made it clear that his time at City will likely mark the final chapter of his elite coaching journey, at least for a while.
“After my contract with City, I’m going to stop. I’m sure,” Guardiola said. “I don’t know if I’m going to retire, but I’m going to take a break.”
The remarks echo the 12-month sabbatical he took after leaving Barcelona in 2012 before joining Bayern Munich in 2013.
“How do I want to be remembered? I don’t know. All coaches want to win so we can have a memorable job, but I believe that the fans of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and City had fun watching my teams play.”
“We shouldn’t live thinking about whether we’ll be remembered. When we die, our families cry for two or three days, and then that’s it; you’re forgotten. The most important thing is not what people think of you. Life has been good to us in football, and there are new challenges ahead, though I don’t know what they’ll be.”
A difficult season at the Etihad
Manchester City’s 2024/25 campaign has been below expectations, with the reigning champions struggling to secure a top-five finish. They are in a tight battle for UEFA Champions League qualification alongside Newcastle United, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa.
However, Guardiola still has the chance to end the season on a high as City prepare to face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final on May 17.
“It was a year of great learning,” he admitted. “There is not just one reason why this year was difficult. There are many details, including wrong decisions made by me. So, it has been a year of great learning for me, personally.”
