Pep Guardiola Confirms Manchester City Will Be His Last Club Management Role, Hints at Possible Future with National Team

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has revealed that his current position will be his final role in club football before he potentially pursues a career coaching a national team. The 53-year-old Spaniard, who has won 15 major trophies since taking charge of City in 2016, recently signed a two-year contract extension with the club until 2027.

In a YouTube interview with celebrity chef Dani Garcia, Guardiola made it clear that he has no intention of managing another club after his time at City comes to an end, whether in the Premier League or abroad. “I’m not going to manage another team,” he said. “I’m not talking about the long-term future, but what I’m not going to do is leave Manchester City, go to another country, and do the same thing as now.”

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss cited a lack of energy as the main reason for his decision, stating, “I wouldn’t have the energy. The thought of starting somewhere else, all the process of training and so on. No, no, no. Maybe a national team, but that’s different.”

Guardiola also hinted at the possibility of taking a break from football altogether once he steps down at City, saying, “I want to leave it and go and play golf, but I can’t [if he takes a club job]. I think stopping would do me good.”

The revelation comes amid a challenging period for Manchester City, who have won just once since Guardiola extended his contract and only once in nine games since beating Southampton on 26 October. The victory came at home against Nottingham Forest last Wednesday but was followed by a 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace over the weekend.

City now face a crucial week, with a Champions League clash against Juventus on Wednesday (20:00 GMT) and a Manchester derby against United in the Premier League on Sunday (16:30). Guardiola, speaking at his pre-match news conference, emphasized the importance of focusing on one game at a time, given the team’s recent form.

“Right now we are not in the position – when we have had the results of the last seven, eight games – to talk about winning games in plural,” he said. “We have to win the game and not look at what happens in the next one yet.”

Guardiola’s announcement about his future plans has sparked speculation about who might eventually succeed him at Manchester City and which national team he could potentially manage in the future. The Spaniard’s decision to rule out a return to club football after his time at City also highlights the immense pressure and demands placed on top-level managers in the modern game.

As Manchester City continues to navigate a challenging period, both domestically and in Europe, Guardiola’s focus will undoubtedly remain on turning the club’s fortunes around and adding to his already impressive trophy haul before he eventually steps away from club management.