Guardiola announces plans to step back from coaching following his departure from Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola has revealed that he plans to take a break from football once he departs Manchester City, although he is uncertain if he will retire from the sport entirely.

The 54-year-old manager signed a two-year extension in November, which will see him remain at the Etihad Stadium until June 2027, marking 11 years since his arrival at the club.

This tenure is by far the longest of his managerial career; previously, he spent four years at Barcelona, where he also played, and three years at Bayern Munich.

Guardiola has led City through an extraordinary era of success, securing six Premier League titles and clinching the club’s first Champions League trophy as part of a historic treble in the 2022/23 season. However, this current season has proven to be challenging.

“I will stop after my contract with City finishes, that much I know,” Guardiola told ESPN. “Whether I will retire or not is unclear, but I definitely plan to take a break. As for how I wish to be remembered, I’m not certain.

“Every coach strives to win in order to create a memorable legacy, but I believe that the supporters of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City have enjoyed watching my teams play. We should never be concerned with how we will be remembered.

“When we pass away, our families may grieve for a couple of days, and then it’s over – we’re forgotten. Coaches experience both highs and lows in their careers, and the key is ensuring that the positive moments endure in people’s memories.”

Currently sitting fourth, City face Wolves on Friday, and although they were favourites to secure a fifth consecutive Premier League title this season, they have encountered a significant downturn.

With just four league matches remaining in the season, they find themselves 21 points adrift of champions Liverpool and are now engaged in a battle to secure Champions League qualification for the next season.

Guardiola, whose squad has reached their third consecutive FA Cup final against Crystal Palace, acknowledged that this season has been one of “great learning,” admitting he did not foresee such a dramatic decline for City.

“I anticipated there would be a period of decline, but I did not expect it to be this severe,” he stated. “We didn’t think we’d be this far behind, but winning every time isn’t possible.

“What we achieved over the past ten or nine years was remarkable, yet now we need to take time to reflect and understand what we must do moving forward.”

In December, Guardiola indicated that he would not “manage another team” after leaving City but left the door open for the possibility of taking up a national coaching role.