After a decade of unprecedented dominance, Pep Guardiola is set to leave Manchester City.
The Catalan coach, who changed the landscape of English football with his tactics has decided to step down this summer, a full year before his contract was due to expire in 2027.
With former assistant Enzo Maresca already lined up as his successor, the immediate question is obvious. What comes next for Guardiola?
Guardiola Says Goodbye to the Etihad
Guardiola’s final weeks at City are expected to be emotional.
In his final pre-match press conference as City manager, he made it clear that he does not plan to return immediately to coaching.
“[I will] rest, no plans to coach for a while,” Guardiola said.
“Otherwise I would still be here. I need to step back. I will not train for a while.”
Even in a season where the Sky Blues missed out on the Premier League title to Arsenal, Guardiola still guided his side to Carabao Cup and FA Cup success.
His final match in charge, an emotional clash against Aston Villa, will mark the end of an era.
For a manager whose obsession with detail has produced six Premier League titles, a Champions League and countless domestic trophies in Manchester, the future offers several possible paths.
With Maresca, a man intimately familiar with Guardiola's methods, ready to take the reins, the succession plan is in place. But what about Pep? Let's take a look at some options.
Read More: 3 Ways Pep Guardiola Changed English Football Forever
Pep Guardiola's Next Move: The Most Likely Scenarios
Scenario 1: The Sabbatical
If history is any indicator, the most immediate phase of Pep Guardiola's next move will be a well-deserved sabbatical. We saw this exact pattern unfold in 2012. After a grueling, trophy-laden four-year spell at Barcelona that left him exhausted, Guardiola stepped away from the game for a full year to live in New York.
That break allowed him to recover from the emotional and tactical exhaustion of coaching. A similar pause now would make sense.
Managing City for a decade in the Premier League requires an extraordinary level of intensity. Every season brings title pressure, Champions League expectation, and media scrutiny.
Scenario 2: A City Football Group Role
Another possibility is that Guardiola may not leave the City Football Group entirely.
While he may no longer be on the touchline at the Etihad, a senior executive or advisory role within the organisation would make sense.
This would allow Guardiola to influence football without carrying the daily pressure of managing a squad. Similar to what his rival Jurgen Klopp did.
After leaving Liverpool, Klopp moved into a global football role with Red Bull, giving him the chance to influence multiple clubs without returning immediately to club management. Guardiola could follow a similar path.
The City Football Group has clubs across the world and a clear footballing identity that has been heavily shaped by his Manchester City era.
A global advisory role would allow him to protect and develop that identity across the wider network. It would also keep him close to City without forcing him back into the exhausting rhythm of matchdays, press conferences and media pressure.
Scenario 3: International Football
If Guardiola does return to the dugout after a break, international football may be the most logical next step.
There is a good chance that he would not move directly from City to another elite club. That makes the international stage a natural option.
For Guardiola, it would also offer something he has not yet experienced.
England: For years, Guardiola was the dream candidate for the Three Lions. But with Thomas Tuchel recently signing a contract extension until after Euro 2028, the FA's doors are temporarily closed. But a poor 2026 World Cup can change all that.
The Netherlands: The Dutch national team could be also a realistic landing spot. Taking charge of the Netherlands, the birthplace of Johan Cruyff's 'Total Football' that so heavily influenced Guardiola, would be a beautiful, full-circle narrative.
Spain: Spain would seem like the obvious national team option on paper. Guardiola is Spanish-born, one of the greatest coaches the country has ever produced, and deeply connected to the tactical identity that helped define modern Spanish football.
But politically and personally, the situation is far more complicated.
Guardiola is Catalan and has often spoken strongly about his Catalan identity. For that reason, managing the Spanish national team has always appeared unlikely. Without going too deeply into Spanish politics, it is difficult to imagine Guardiola accepting a role that would place him at the centre of that national conversation.
Whatever Pep's next move turns out to be, it will be executed with meticulous planning and thought, much like his footballing philosophy. Whether he takes a year out, assumes an executive role, or accepts the challenge of leading a national team to World Cup glory, the footballing world will be watching with bated breath for the mastermind's next move.
