'Don’t Know How Long I’ll Stop For': Pep Guardiola Confirms Break From Football After Man City Exit

Last Updated:July 28, 2025, 22:44 IST

Pep Guardiola reiterated his belief that he will take a significant break from football after his tenure at City ends in 2027.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola (AP)

Pep Guardiola is a man of his word. The Manchester City boss has yet again confirmed that he will take a significant break from football management after his tenure at the Etihad ends.

The 54-year-old Spaniard, who has become the most successful manager in Manchester City’s history, has collected 18 trophies during his reign, including six Premier League titles and one Champions League crown.

Though his current contract runs until 2027, Guardiola made it clear in a new interview with GQ Spain that his departure from the club will also mark a pause in his managerial career.

“I know that after this stage with City I’m going to stop, that’s for sure," Guardiola said. “It’s decided, more than decided."

“I don’t know how long I’ll stop for — a year, two years, three years, five, ten, fifteen — I don’t know. But I will leave after this spell with City because I need to stop and focus on myself, on my body."

In May, Guardiola had already hinted at his City exit, stating that he intended to leave once his current deal expires.

Despite signing a contract extension as recently as November, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss is clear about stepping away when this chapter closes.

“I’ve spent four or five months this year in every away stadium with the crowd chanting, ‘You’ll be sacked in the morning. They’re going to fire you’," he noted.

“There’s no other profession — architect, teacher, doctor, journalist — where 60,000 people ask you to lose your job."

Last season proved testing both on and off the pitch.

City were plagued by injuries, including a major blow in September when Ballon d’Or winner Rodri suffered a right ACL injury. The club suffered its earliest Champions League exit since the 2012–13 campaign and finished third in the Premier League, far from the dominance they’ve shown in previous years.

Guardiola acknowledged that a downturn was inevitable.

“When you win six Premier Leagues, there comes a time when you go down. It’s human nature… It’s a process that had to happen. It took longer to happen, and when it did, it went deeper than we could have imagined."

Despite the recent setbacks, Guardiola remains optimistic about the upcoming season — and about Manchester City’s long-term prospects.

“Speaking on behalf of Manchester City, it has been very healthy for us," he said. “Because success can confuse you. It hasn’t confused us for many years, but this year the players have been injured a lot."

He added that the adversity could serve as a springboard for future success.

“I think it will be very good for the next five or ten years. And next year, we’ll do better."

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

Read More

News18 Sports brings you the latest updates, live commentary, and highlights from cricket, football, tennis, badmintion, wwe and more. Catch breaking news, live scores, and in-depth coverage. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

Location :

First Published:

News sports » football 'Don’t Know How Long I’ll Stop For': Pep Guardiola Confirms Break From Football After Man City Exit