Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City after ten years in charge, and his own words make the next step pretty clear. He said he would like to train a national team for a World Cup or a European Championship, and he framed the exit as the point when it was simply his time.

The farewell was emotional rather than tidy. Guardiola admitted, "The speech was a disaster, I was so nervous - more than ever," then added that he felt "really satisfied" and "proud" after what he called maybe the experience of his life.

Why the national-team opening matters

Guardiola did not hide what he wants next. In the interview with manchestereveningnews.co.uk, he said: "A national team. I would like to train a national team for a World Cup or a European Championship. I would like that." That is the cleanest reading of where his career is headed, even if no country has been confirmed.

The obvious candidates will keep getting mentioned, because the brief points to Italy, Spain, Brazil and England as possibilities. None of that amounts to an appointment yet, and it should not be written as if it does. What is verified is that Guardiola wants the international job, not another club rebuild.

What his City spell leaves behind

The exit also closes out a huge run at Manchester City. Guardiola leaves as the most successful manager in the club’s history, with 20 major trophies since joining in July 2016. City finished second in the Premier League, which is a decent final marker for a team that stayed in contention rather than falling apart.

There will be a parade on Monday involving the men’s, women’s and youth teams, so the goodbye is not being treated like a quiet handover. Even so, the bigger story is the one Guardiola has already set out himself: after ten years at City, the next role he wants is on the international stage.

One name in the wider transition picture is Nico O'Reilly, who has been used as an inverted left back, shuttling between the touchline and central midfield. That does not change the main headline, but it does show that the next manager will inherit more than just a trophy cabinet.

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