Pep Guardiola has hinted that he could take an extended break from football—possibly as long as 15 years—once his time at Manchester City comes to an end.
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The Spanish tactician has cemented his legacy as one of the most successful managers in English football history, building a dynasty at the Etihad Stadium. During his time in Manchester, the 54-year-old has led the Sky Blues to an astonishing 18 trophies, including a historic treble.
However, Guardiola has now revealed that once his tenure at City concludes, he plans to take a significant step away from coaching—possibly for over a decade.
“I know that after this stage with City I'm going to stop, that's for sure. It's decided, more than decided,” he told GQ Magazine.
“I don't know how long I'll stop for— a year, two years, three years, five, ten, fifteen, I don't know. But I will leave after this spell with City because I need to stop and focus on myself, on my body.”
Guardiola previously took a one-year sabbatical after leaving Barcelona in 2012, before returning to manage Bayern Munich. However, this time, he admits the break could be much longer.
The pressure of the job has seemingly taken its toll, especially after a trophyless 2024/25 campaign—City’s first since his debut season at the helm.
“I've spent four or five months this year in every away stadium with the crowd chanting, 'You'll be sacked in the morning. They're going to fire you',” he added.
“There's no other profession—architect, teacher, doctor, journalist—where 60,000 people ask you to lose your job.”
Despite all he has achieved, Guardiola admits a dip in form was inevitable.
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“When you win six Premier Leagues, there comes a time when you go down. It's human nature... it's a process that had to happen, it happens, it took longer to happen, and when it did, it went deeper than we could have imagined.”
