Pep Guardiola to step away from football after 2027

Guardiola confirms end date at Manchester City

Pep Guardiola has publicly confirmed that he will leave Manchester City when his current deal expires in the summer of 2027. In an interview with ESPN, the Catalan coach stated that he plans to take a sabbatical from football, though he stopped short of calling it retirement.

“When my contract with City is over, I will stop. Definitely. I don’t know if I will retire, but I will take a break,” he said, citing a need for rest and personal recalibration after nearly two decades of non-stop elite management.

Following the Klopp model

Guardiola’s decision closely mirrors that of Jürgen Klopp, who stepped down from Liverpool earlier this year, also opting for a pause in his managerial career. This will not be Guardiola’s first break from football — he previously took a year off after leaving Barcelona in 2012, before returning with Bayern Munich.

Legacy talk deflected: “It’s not about how I’m remembered”

Despite winning over 30 major trophies across three of Europe’s top clubs — Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City — Guardiola downplayed discussions around legacy. “Everyone wants to win, but I think people enjoyed watching my teams play. Living with the pressure of how I’ll be remembered doesn’t feel right to me,” he said.

A challenging season prompts introspection

This campaign has been one of Guardiola’s toughest at City. After aiming for a fifth consecutive Premier League title, the team fell short amid inconsistency and transitional issues. Guardiola admitted to tactical missteps and highlighted the season as one of personal learning:

“I knew we would drop a level, but I didn’t expect the dip to be this sharp. I made some wrong decisions that affected the rhythm. Now we understand what needs to change going forward.”

Post-2027 plans unclear, but break confirmed

Guardiola, who will be 56 when his deal ends, remains non-committal about what comes next. While internal succession planning is reportedly already underway at Manchester City, Guardiola himself has no immediate plans beyond stepping away from the game — for rest, and reflection.

For now, the football world prepares to say goodbye — at least temporarily — to one of its most influential thinkers, as the Guardiola era at Manchester City edges toward its final chapter.