Manchester City Football Club on Friday announced that their manager, Pep Guardiola, will leave the club this summer after leading the team for a decade and winning 20 domestic and international trophies, news.ng reports.
Guardiola arrived at Manchester City F.C. from FC Bayern Munich in the summer of 2016, and a year later, he won the Premier League title.
The 55-year-old Spanish football manager retained the domestic title in the 2018–19 season, but in the 2019–20 season, Liverpool F.C. took over. City returned to the top spot in the 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, and 2023–24 seasons.
He continued his brilliance by winning the UEFA Champions League in the 2022–23 season.
Guardiola also led City to three FA Cup titles, five Carabao Cup titles, three Community Shield titles, one UEFA Super Cup in the 2023–24 season, and one FIFA Club World Cup title in the 2023–24 season.
According to the club, Guardiola will invest his wealth of experience as a global ambassador with the City Football Group.
“Despite his departure as manager of Manchester City, Pep will continue his relationship with the City Football Group by taking up a role as a global ambassador. The role will see him giving technical advice to the clubs in the group, working on specific projects and collaborations,” the club stated.
Speaking with the club’s media team, Guardiola said it was time to leave.
He said, “And what a time we have had together. Don’t ask me the reasons I’m leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside, I know it’s my time. Nothing is eternal; if it was, I would be here. Eternal will be the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City.
“This is a city built from work. From graft. You see it in the colour of the bricks. From people who clocked in early, stayed late. The factories. The Pankhursts. The unions. The music. Simply the Industrial Revolution and how this changed the world. And I think I grew to understand that, and my teams did too.
“We worked. We suffered. We fought. And we did things our own way. Our way.
“Hard work comes in many forms. Trips to Bournemouth, when we lost the Premier League, and you were there. Trips to Istanbul, when you were there, too.
“Remember the Manchester Arena attack, when this city showed the world what strength actually looks like? Not anger. Not fear. Just love. Community. Togetherness. A city united.
“Remember, losing my mum during COVID and feeling this club carry me through it. The fans, the staff, the people of Manchester, you gave me strength when I needed it most. Cris, my kids, my whole family, you were there as always. Khaldoon, you were there too.
“Players don’t forget – every single instant, moment, me, my staff, this club, everything. What we have done, we have done it for all of you. And you have been just exceptional. You don’t know it yet, but you are leaving a legacy.”
City will face Aston Villa F.C. in their final game of the season on Sunday.
Regarding his successor, there is growing speculation that former Chelsea F.C. head coach Enzo Maresca, who was once mentored by Guardiola, will take over.
