Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has announced that he plans to take a break from coaching once his current contract with the Premier League champions expires.
While not ruling out a future return to the sidelines, the 54-year-old Spaniard said he is certain he will step away from the game, at least temporarily, after nearly a decade in charge at the Etihad—his longest spell at any club. Prior to City, Guardiola spent four years at FC Barcelona and three seasons at Bayern Munich.
Last year, he signed a two-year extension that keeps him at Manchester City until 2027. “I want people to remember me however they choose. After my contract with City ends, I will stop. That’s for sure. I don’t know if I’ll retire, but I will take a break,” he told ESPN.
Guardiola also left the door open to a possible future in international football. “All coaches want to win so we can leave behind something memorable, but I believe fans of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and City enjoyed watching our teams play,” he said. “But I don’t think we should live with the idea that we’ll be remembered forever. In a coach’s career, there are good moments and bad ones—the important thing is that the good ones last longer in people’s memories.”