Pep Guardiola announces shocking departure from Manchester City after a historic decade in charge
It is official and unexpected: Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City at the end of the current 2025/26 season, bringing an end to a ten-year reign that transformed the blue club of Manchester into a global football powerhouse. The confirmation came directly from the club, leaving fans, analysts, and the football world in shock at the premature end of a contract that was set to run until 2027.
Since arriving at the Etihad Stadium in 2016, the charismatic Catalan coach has revolutionized English football, shaping Manchester City into an unstoppable trophy-winning machine. In ten years, Guardiola has won no fewer than 20 titles, including 6 Premier League titles – notably the historic “Centurions” season with 100 points – an unprecedented domestic quadruple, and culminating with the epic European Treble in 2022/23. Furthermore, his team dominated with four consecutive English league titles, a rare achievement that solidified City’s hegemony.
Pep’s tactical impact has been as profound as the trophies he has won. His innovative approach, which includes the use of inverted full-backs, goalkeepers with field player profiles, and constantly moving false nines, has revolutionized modern football. However, he has never abandoned the fundamentals of possession football and patient build-up, elevating Manchester City to unprecedented heights and leaving a legacy that goes far beyond victories.
Pep Guardiola reflected on this decision and his journey in Manchester in an emotional statement: “When I arrived, my first interview was with Noel Gallagher. I left thinking, ‘Okay… Noel is here? This is going to be fun.’ And what an extraordinary time we had together. Don’t ask me the reason for my departure. There is no reason, but deep down, I know it’s my time. Nothing is eternal; if it were, I would still be here. What will remain eternal is the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City.”
The coach also spoke about his deep connection with the city, a place shaped by hard work, labor struggles, the Industrial Revolution, and the strength of its community: “This is a city built on work. You can see it in the color of the bricks. In the people who arrived early and left late. In the factories. In the Pankhursts. In the unions. The music. The Industrial Revolution. I grew up understanding that, and my teams did too. We worked. We suffered. We fought. And we did everything our way. In our way.”
Guardiola recalled difficult and symbolic moments, such as the trips to Bournemouth and Istanbul, the attack on the Manchester Arena, and the loss of his mother during the pandemic, moments when he felt the unconditional support of the club, the fans, and the city: “Do you remember the trip to Bournemouth when we lost the Premier League? And Istanbul? And the attack on the Manchester Arena, when this city showed the world what true strength is? Not anger, nor fear. Love. Community. Unity. A united city.”
The coach thanked the unwavering support of his family, the board led by Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the players, and the fans who, according to him, are leaving a lasting legacy: “Players don’t forget – every moment, every second, I, my team, this club, everything. What we did, we did it for all of you. And you were exceptional. You may not know it yet, but you are leaving a legacy. So, when my time comes, be happy. The Oasis are back again.”
Pep Guardiola, 55, thus closes a glorious chapter, where he not only won trophies but also built a cultural and structural identity that will endure at Manchester City and in world football. “Tony Walsh said in his unforgettable poem ‘this is the place’. Sorry, Tony: this is my place. Noel… I was right. It was so f****** fun. I love you all.”
Guardiola’s farewell to Manchester City marks the end of an era and the beginning of a new phase for the club, which will now have to find a new leader to continue the path of success. This is a developing story and will certainly have profound repercussions in the coaching market and in the landscape of European football.
Stay tuned for more updates.
This article first appeared on Apito Final.
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