Pep Guardiola says he does not miss football at all, and right now he is in no rush to go back into management. Speaking after leaving Manchester City this summer, he said his head is not on the dugout, his focus is on life away from the game, and a return is not the priority.

Guardiola's break from coaching

"From a mental standpoint, I don't miss anything at all," Guardiola said. "I started managing at 37, and my entire life has been bound to football. Now, I want to try and discover life, to be happy doing other things that have nothing to do with football."

He also said, "I'm trying to figure out what my life will look like. I decided to stop because I want to take a bit more care of myself. I want to spend more time with my children and with my father, who is 95 and still with us. I've reached the age of 56, I'm no longer young, and the way you see things changes as well."

Those details explain why this feels like a genuine pause rather than a dangling coaching link. Guardiola started managing at 37, he is 56 now, and he has spent 10 years at Manchester City.

The point is simple enough: the job has been his adult life, and he is choosing to step outside it for a while.

The England talk still follows him

Wayne Rooney has pushed Guardiola back into the England conversation, saying: "I don't see anyone else out there at the minute, unless you go and get Pep Guardiola. If Pep Guardiola is available, then maybe you go and get him."

That is the obvious caveat. Rooney's view only matters if Guardiola is actually available, and Guardiola's own comments do not sound like a man lining up a fast return.

He has not closed the door completely. "One day, of course, I will return to the Etihad Stadium. But right now, I want to stay behind the scenes. If they ever need me, I'll be there."

For now, the strongest reading is still the most direct one. Guardiola wants a break, wants family time, and wants to see what life looks like without coaching at the centre of it.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →