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Pep Guardiola has dropped major hint over job he'll take next after leaving Man City
May 19 2026 08:10 · By Mark Whiley/Sports Writer · 14 Reads
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Pep Guardiola could turn his hand to international management after deciding to leave Manchester City . After a success-laden 10 years at the helm, Sunday's final-day clash against Aston Villa is expected to be his last in charge.
Guardiola's next move will be fascinating to watch. The 55-year-old could take a sabbatical, as he did between his spells at Barcelona and Bayern Munich . Alternatively, he could take a different type of job, such as a national team role.
Guardiola has said previously that managing in international football interests him. In an interview at the end of 2024, he discussed leaving City and revealed he would pursue a different sort of challenge.
He told chef Dani Garcia on his Desmontadito YouTube channel : "A time will come when I feel it's enough and I'll definitely stop then. I'm not going to manage another team.
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"I'm not talking about the long-term future but what I'm not going to do is leave Manchester City and go to another country to do the same thing as I am now.
"I wouldn't have the energy to do so. I'm still here doing what I am today. But the thought of starting off somewhere else, with all the process of the training and so on... no, no, no! Maybe a national team but that's different."
In 2024, it was reported that Guardiola had received three separate approaches about taking charge of a national team, while he has long eyed the Brazil job, currently held by Carlo Ancelotti. He was also linked to the England job before Thomas Tuchel's appointment.
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Guardiola has overseen one of the most successful managerial reigns in English football history. Since his appointment in 2016, City have won 20 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League .
They have also won the FA Cup three times and the Carabao Cup five times, including both competitions this season. They remain in contention for the Premier League title and face Bournemouth on Tuesday, hoping to take the race with Arsenal to the final weekend.
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It has been widely reported that former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca will take over at the Etihad. The 46-year-old, who was an assistant to Guardiola during City’s treble-winning campaign in 2022-23, has been out of work since leaving Stamford Bridge in January.
His departure from Chelsea followed his informing the club that he had been in contact with City on multiple occasions about taking over from Guardiola.