Pep Guardiola
Josep "Pep" Guardiola Sala (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈpɛb ɡwəɾðiˈɔlə];[3][4][5] born 18 January 1971) is a Catalan professional football manager and former player from Spain, who is currently the manager of Premier League club Manchester City.[6] Guardiola is the only manager to win the continental treble twice, the youngest manager to win the UEFA Champions League, and he holds the record for the most consecutive league games won in La Liga, the Bundesliga and the Premier League.[a] He is considered to be one of the greatest managers of all time.[8][9][10]
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Guardiola and the second or maternal family name is Sala.Personal information
Josep Guardiola Sala[1]
18 January 1971
Santpedor, Spain
1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Manchester City (manager)
Gimnàstic Manresa
Team
Guardiola was a defensive midfielder who usually played in a deep-lying playmaker's role. He spent the majority of his career with Barcelona, forming a part of Johan Cruyff's Dream Team that won the club's first European Cup in 1992, and four successive Spanish league titles from 1991 to 1994. He captained the team from 1997 until his departure from Barcelona in 2001. Guardiola then had stints with Brescia and Roma in Italy, Al-Ahli in Qatar and Dorados in Mexico. He was capped 47 times for the Spanish national team and appeared at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, as well as at UEFA Euro 2000. He also played friendly matches for Catalonia.
After retiring as a player, Guardiola briefly managed Barcelona B, with whom he won a Tercera División title. He took charge of the first team in 2008. In his first season, he led Barcelona to the continental treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League, becoming the youngest manager to win the latter competition. He was named the FIFA World Coach of the Year in 2011 after leading the club to another La Liga and Champions League double in the 2010–11 season. Guardiola ended his four-year Barcelona stint in 2012 with 14 honours, a club record.
After a sabbatical period, Guardiola joined Bayern Munich in 2013 and won the Bundesliga in each of the three seasons, including two domestic doubles. He left the club for Manchester City in 2016 and guided them to the Premier League title in his second season in charge, breaking numerous domestic records as the team became the first to attain 100 points in a single season. He led City to a domestic treble in 2018–19, their first Champions League final in 2020–21, and their first Champions League title as part of another continental treble in 2022–23.
International career
Spain
Guardiola made his senior debut in October 1992; that same year, he captained Spain when they won a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympic Games. That same year he won the Bravo Award, which recognises the world's best player under the age of 21. Between 1992 and 2001, Guardiola played over 47 times and scored five goals for the senior Spain team. He was a member of the Spanish team during the 1994 World Cup, where they reached the quarter-finals, losing 2–1 to Italy. He fell out of favour with Javier Clemente, Spain's manager, due to disagreements and missed out on Euro 1996. He suffered a career-threatening injury in 1998, which kept him out of the 1998 World Cup, but he later played at Euro 2000, where he led Spain to yet another quarter-final, this time losing to France by the same margin, 2–1. He led the Spanish midfield until his final appearance on 14 November 2001, in a 1–0 win in a friendly against Mexico; he scored his last international goal against Sweden in a 1–1 draw during his 45th appearance.[1][21]
Catalonia
Guardiola has played for and advocated on behalf of the Catalonia football team. Between 1995 and 2005, he played seven friendly games for Catalonia.[22]
Player profile
Style of play
Guardiola was a highly creative, hard-working, nimble, and elegant player, with good anticipation, tactical awareness, and an ability to read the game; throughout his career, he was usually deployed as either a central or defensive midfielder in front of his team's back-line,[23][24][25] although he was also capable of playing in more attacking midfield roles.[26] Although he was competent defensively and able to press opponents to break up play and win the ball effectively through his team-work and defensive positioning,[26][27][28] he also had a tendency to give away many fouls; as such, and also in part due to his slender physical build, he usually functioned as a deep-lying playmaker in front of the defence, where he excelled courtesy of his technical ability and intelligent, efficient, precise passing game.[24][26][29][30] He would also occasionally drop deeper to act as an additional centre-back in Cruyff's fluid 3–4–3 formation at Barcelona.[31] Despite his lack of notable pace, dribbling ability, aerial prowess, or strong physical or athletic attributes, Guardiola was highly regarded throughout his career for his vision, close control, passing range, positional sense, and calm composure on the ball, as well as his speed of thought,[26][32] which enabled him to retain possession under pressure and either set the tempo of his team's play in midfield with quick and intricate short first-time exchanges,[26][33][34] or switch the play or create chances with longer passes.[26][34][35][36][37] His role has also been likened to that of a metodista ("centre-half", in Italian football jargon), due to his ability to dictate play in midfield as well as assist his team defensively.[38]
Guardiola was capable of being an offensive threat, due to his ability to make attacking runs[39] or strike accurately from distance; he was also effective at creating chances or shooting on goal from set-pieces. Having served as captain of both Barcelona and the Spanish national side, he also stood out for his leadership throughout his career.[40][41] Despite his playing ability, however, he was also known to be injury prone throughout his career.[26]
Reception
Guardiola's playing style, which relied on creativity, technique and ball movement, rather than physicality and pace, inspired several future diminutive Spanish playmaking midfielders, such as Xavi,[42][43] Andrés Iniesta,[44] and Cesc Fàbregas, with the latter describing him as his "idol".[45] Pirlo instead described Guardiola as the "model" for the position which he himself occupied deep in midfield.[43] Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta once described Guardiola as "the best central midfielder in our history."[46] Johan Cruyff considered him to be one of the best midfielders of his generation,[47] a view echoed by Richard Jolly of FourFourTwo and Marco Frattino, the latter of whom stated in 2018: "Twenty years ago, [...] Pep Guardiola was one of the best midfielders in the world."[48][49] In 2001, his agent Josè Maria Orobitg described him as the best in the world at dictating the tempo and rhythm of his team's play.[34]
Miguel Val of Marca considered Guardiola to be one of the greatest Spanish players of all time, describing him as the "brains of Barcelona's Dream Team under Johan Cruyff" in 2020.[50] Federico Aquè described him as one of the best deep-lying playmakers in European football in his prime,[26] while Lee Bushe of 90min.com even included him in his list of "The Best Deep-Lying Playmakers of All Time" in 2020.[51]
Manager profile
Tactics
Although much emphasis is placed on retaining possession of the ball and dictating play, with the intent to have the opposing side's defence chase the ball for extended periods of play, Guardiola's teams are recognised for pressing off the ball. Players press and harry the opposition collectively in an attempt to win back possession of the ball. This collective press is only conducted in the starting third of the opposition's pitch where less space exists and defenders and/or the goalkeeper may not be as good at dribbling or passing the ball as a midfielder.
As high pressing became prominent, Guardiola sought to counteract it with goalkeepers and defenders comfortable with controlling the ball and both long and short ball distribution, with goalkeepers such as Victor Valdés and Manuel Neuer also acting as sweeper-keepers at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, rushing off their line to prevent counter-attacks, and playing out from the back. At Manchester City, Ederson routinely played accurate long balls up-field when City were pressed high, at times taking the entire opposition out-of-play and creating 1-on-1 situations for City forwards.[164][165][166] To avoid getting caught by long-range passing from City's defensive-third, the opposition defence would cautiously drop deep despite the forward line's high-press, hence creating space in the middle of the pitch.[167][168]
Guardiola has stated he tries to constantly evolve his tactics.[169] After learning the style analogous with Total Football under Johan Cruyff,[170][171] Guardiola was particularly influenced by his time as a player in Mexico under his friend and manager at Dorados, Juan Manuel Lillo.[172] Guardiola also sought help of Marcelo Bielsa to learn from him.[170] His editorials for El Pais during the 2006 World Cup in praise of Luis Aragonés' Spanish side and Ricardo La Volpe's Mexican side reveal the extent of his reverence for possession-based, attacking football, with defenders along with the goal-keeper playing it out from the back,[173] which Guardiola later cited as a major inspiration on multiple occasions.[174] In one of his editorials, he called Zinedine Zidane France's best defender, pointing out how recycling possession in itself is a key defensive tactic,[173] something that Guardiola teams would later become synonymous with.[173][175] Philipp Lahm, who played for Guardiola at Bayern Munich, pointed out that Guardiola's tactics were majorly "an offensive Sacchi", modelled after the Arrigo Sacchi's Milan team of the late 1980s, emphasising fluid movement, quick recoveries, and keeping possession of the ball, which was in sharp contrast to the strictly-defensive Catenaccio–inspired style employed effectively by José Mourinho and later by Diego Simeone; and that Guardiola has evolved his approach that seemingly was now a mix of both those styles.[176]
Tactics employed by Guardiola have been likened to Gegenpressing[177] invented by Ralf Rangnick[178] and used to great effect by Jürgen Klopp.[177][179] His tactics have influenced approaches of managers such as Maurizio Sarri,[180] Thomas Tuchel,[181][179] Graham Potter,[182] and Luis Enrique;[183] as well as those of other sports such as rugby.[184][185] Guardiola admitted that he had to adapt his style to German and English leagues, but his "football education comes from [Catalunya]" which is possession-based, and distinct from Gegenpressing.[186] While several pundits have often linked Guardiola's attacking–minded tactics at Barcelona – centred around quick passing, ball possession, movement, a high defensive line, and heavy pressing – to the tiki-taka style employed by the Spanish national side under Aragonés at Euro 2008,[187][188][189] Guardiola himself has refuted this claim, and has even been critical of the system, commenting in 2014: "I loathe all that passing for the sake of it, all that tiki-taka. It's so much rubbish and has no purpose. You have to pass the ball with a clear intention, with the aim of making it into the opposition's goal. It's not about passing for the sake of it."[190]
Guardiola has been praised by pundits for his flexibility as a coach, and has used several formations throughout his career.[191] At Barcelona, he often used a 4–3–3 formation with inverted wingers and attacking full-backs who would overlap and provide width to the team, as well as a 3–4–3 formation on occasion; he also later used these formations at Bayern Munich and Manchester City. In the 3–4–3 formation, defensive midfielders Sergio Busquets at Barcelona and Xabi Alonso at Bayern Münich would occasionally drop back into the back-line to act as an additional defender; this role was similar to the one Guardiola himself played under Cruyff at Barcelona. At Bayern Münich, he also used full-backs Phillip Lahm and Joshua Kimmich in midfield.[192][193][194][195] Guardiola also began to use a false 9 during his time at Barcelona, fielding Lionel Messi in the centre of the team's attacking line, who would drop deep into midfield to give the team a numerical advantage in the middle of the pitch.[196] At Manchester City, after experimenting with several formations, he used a modern version of the 3–2–2–3 formation during the 2022–23 treble–winning season, which was likened to the past WM formation.[197] He deployed centre-back John Stones in a hybrid defensive and creative role in midfield, which Jonathan Wilson of The Guardian likened to both the libero and wing-half roles in 2023.[198][199][200] Guardiola also used inverted full-backs who moved inside to occupy central areas of the pitch,[201][202] while he also played in a more physical and direct style than in previous seasons, utilising Erling Haaland as a traditional striker.[203]
Reception
Considered by pundits to be one of the greatest managers of all time,[204][205] Guardiola is often linked with the successes of the Spanish and German national teams in 2010s, both of whom had many first-team players that were coached by him.[206]
Jürgen Klopp credits Guardiola with building the toughest teams he has ever faced, stating: "I could say City are the toughest opponent I've ever had but it wasn't much easier when I faced Pep's Bayern [..] We push each other to insane levels."[207]
In 2017, Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini was critical of Guardiola's philosophy, however, and expressed his belief that the popularisation of possession-based playing styles, associated with Barcelona under Guardiola, and the increasing focus on developing defenders who are comfortable with the ball at their feet from a young age in Italy, had in fact had a negative impact on their overall defensive quality. He commented: "Guardiolismo [a term he coined for "the Guardiola way"] has ruined a generation of Italian defenders a bit – now everyone is looking to push up, defenders know how to set the tone of play and they can spread the ball, but they don't know how to mark."[208][209][210]
Several of Guardiola's former players, teammates, and coaching staff members, such as Xabi Alonso, Xavi, Luis Enrique, Erik ten Hag, and Mikel Arteta, have pursued coaching careers, and have cited Guardiola as an inspiration.[211]
Personal life
Guardiola was born to Dolors and Valentí. He has two older sisters and a younger brother, Pere Guardiola, a football agent.[212] He is an atheist.[213] Guardiola met his wife Cristina Serra when he was 18.[213] They married on 29 May 2014.[214] They have three children named Maria, Màrius and Valentina.[213]
Following his tenure as Barcelona's manager, he stated that he would move to the United States to live in Manhattan, New York, for a year, until he had decided on his future.[215] To prepare for his position as the manager of Bayern Munich, Guardiola studied German for four to five hours each day.[216]
Guardiola supports the political independence of Catalonia.[217] In 2015, he confirmed that he would participate in the pro-independence coalition, Junts pel Sí, in that year's regional parliamentary election.[218]
On 24 May 2023, Guardiola made a cameo appearance in Ted Lasso, in which Ted Lasso's (played by Jason Sudeikis) team, AFC Richmond, play against Manchester City and win. Guardiola gives Lasso a handshake following City's defeat and gives Lasso a word of advice, to which Lasso responds positively. Guardiola reportedly is a fan of the show and enjoys watching it with his wife and daughter.[219]
Guardiola was one of the 13 sports personalities named in the Pandora Papers published by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).[220] He had an account open in the principality of Andorra until 2012, exploiting the tax amnesty that Mariano Rajoy's conservative government had enacted in Spain to regularise his fiscal situation. Until that point, he had not declared the funds held in that account to the Spanish Tax Agency.[221]
Honours
Player
Barcelona B