Pep Guardiola has by no means been one to carry again his ideas. Whether or not within the dugout, at a press convention or in a quiet room with a view of Barcelona’s Passeig de Gracia, the Manchester Metropolis supervisor is all the time as candid as he’s intense.
In a current interview with GQ, Guardiola opened up about his struggles, his philosophy on soccer and life, and for the primary time, spoke about his future plans.
Listed here are 5 key issues we discovered from an interesting sit-down with one among soccer’s biggest minds.
“My head stated sufficient” – Why Guardiola is aware of when to cease
Reflecting on each his taking part in and training careers, Guardiola made it clear that for him, the decisive issue is just not bodily situation, however psychological readability.
“My profession stopped when my head stated sufficient,” he defined. “I might have extended it, however my head stated: I’m drained, I can’t do any extra. I feel I knew cease on the proper second. The identical factor occurred to me with my teaching job at FC Barcelona.
“There got here a time after I stated sufficient, that’s sufficient. I’m going to search for one other problem. Whenever you attempt to push it too arduous, issues simply don’t work out. However it was my head, not a lot my muscle tissues, or my knees, or my toes.”
🚨🎙️Pep Guardiola on Yamal being in comparison with Messi:
“Messi is one other degree solely. We’re speaking 90 targets in a season, for 15 years straight, with out stopping, with out accidents. That’s an entire completely different league. Simply go away it. Depart it.” pic.twitter.com/rPhL84BGOt
– TheScreenShotlad (@thescreenlad) July 27, 2025
The Metropolis boss insists that the psychological facet of sport – and life – is “every part”.
“It’s the least researched muscle, in all probability resulting from issue. However it all stems from that.”
That very same psychological strategy guided his choice to depart Barcelona in 2012, and it’ll information him once more sooner or later.
A turbulent season and the teachings of failure
Guardiola didn’t draw back from describing the challenges of Metropolis’s most tough season underneath his watch, a marketing campaign that noticed a staggering 13-14 video games and not using a win.
But he sees it as a needed correction after years of dominance within the Premier League
“Whenever you win six Premier Leagues, there comes a time if you go downhill. It’s human nature.
“We in all probability ought to have moved extra gamers, however it’s straightforward to say that after the actual fact. Success confuses you. It hasn’t confused us for a few years, however this 12 months, gamers have been getting injured lots.
“Why? As a result of the main focus is now not on what it’s important to do. When the main focus is now not on doing what it’s important to do, you get injured extra.”
Regardless of criticism he has confronted – “I’ve been in each away stadium for 4 or 5 months with the gang shouting, ‘You’ll be sacked within the morning’” – Guardiola says he has embraced the problem.
“Look, one factor about sports activities is that you could’t all the time win each competitors you play. You realize why? As a result of it’s inconceivable. Inconceivable. So that you lose generally, nicely sure, that’s a part of sports activities.”
Failure? He loves it
In a world obsessive about perfection, Guardiola finds magnificence in dropping.
“I’m delighted to have failed. I really like failures. On this society the place every part needs to be excellent, the place it’s important to put up your meals on Instagram…
‘Oh, how good, how comfortable I’m.’ Day-after-day we now have to show that we’re comfortable. Nicely, sure, I’m unhappy, I fail, and I lose. So? So? Title one who doesn’t do it. The vital factor is to do it, give it your all, and do it nicely.”
For him, falling quick is a vital a part of the method.
“I’ve completed poorly, we’ve had worse outcomes than I anticipated, however hey, the subsequent day there’s one other one, and I’m going to attempt once more. And subsequent 12 months I’m going to do higher. That’s what it’s all about.”
Lamine Yamal and the Messi comparability
The Barcelona-born coach couldn’t keep away from questions on Lamine Yamal, the 18-year-old wonderkid already being hailed as “the subsequent Messi.” Guardiola was sensible in his phrases.
“I feel Lamine Yamal ought to be allowed to develop his profession. And when he’s been taking part in for fifteen years, we’ll resolve if he’s higher or worse. Let him develop his profession.
“And the truth that he’s being in comparison with Messi is a giant deal… however we now have to let him develop his profession. And we’ll see.”
He then added a actuality examine for these anticipating one other Messi.
“Messi has been a giant deal. 90 targets in a single season, for 15 years, nonstop, with out damage. That’s a giant deal. Let him go. Let him go.”
And as for a return to Barcelona, in any capability?
“It’s over. It’s over endlessly. It was very stunning, however it’s over now.”
“I’m going to cease after this stage with Metropolis” – Guardiola’s future
• Do you wish to return to Barcelona sometime, or is that chapter closed?
🚨🎙️| Pep Guardiola: “It is over. Over endlessly. It was very stunning, however it’s over.” #fcbllos ❤️ pic.twitter.com/VIb9st11kt
– Barçatimé (@Barcatimes) July 27, 2025
Maybe probably the most eye-catching revelation got here when Guardiola addressed the query of longevity.
Whereas some coaches keep on the touchline till they will’t stand anymore, Pep has already made up his thoughts.
“I do know that after this stage with Metropolis I’m going to cease, that’s for certain, it’s determined, greater than determined.
“I don’t understand how lengthy I’ll cease for, a 12 months, two years, three years, 5, ten, fifteen, I don’t know. However I’m going to cease after this stage with Metropolis, as a result of I have to cease and concentrate on myself, on my physique.”
He described this break as an opportunity to decelerate:
“In Catalan, they are saying badar. Badar, badar, badar… I wish to do that, merely cease and watch the cows go by when the practice goes by. My grandfather used to say, you have a look at me like cows watch the practice go by. Nicely, that’s it, it’s important to cease and watch it go by.”
Does this imply he’ll by no means coach once more? Not essentially.
“Life will put one thing in entrance of me, and I’ll say: Oh, do I wish to do that or not? And if not, nicely, I’ll determine it out. And I feel my plan now could be this: cease, cease… After which we’ll see.”
For all of the discuss of ways, trophies and titles, the portrait that emerges from Pep Guardiola right now is of a person deeply conscious of his personal limits, fascinated by the thoughts’s energy, and prepared, when the time comes, to step off the carousel.
Metropolis followers could discover solace in the truth that his ardour nonetheless burns, however the countdown has began.
When Guardiola decides his head has had sufficient as soon as extra, soccer must get used to watching the practice go by with out him.
