Man City formally confirmed on Friday that Josep Guardiola will step down as head coach at the end of the season, ending his 10-year stay at the Etihad – or so it was thought.
Josep Guardiola is still not 100 per cent done with his job at Manchester City, with the Spaniard set to take on the role of global ambassador for the City Football Group.
The Citizens announced the Spaniard’s departure on Friday after taking over in February 2016 and following a spell at the club that saw him win 20 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2023.
Guardiola insisted at a press conference on Friday that he was planning to step away from football and had “no intention” of doing so. [coach] “For a while,” he said after departing after City’s final game against Aston Villa on Sunday.
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However, it appears that may not be the case after all, after it was confirmed that the Spaniard will take up a role as City Football Group’s global ambassador after stepping away from touchline duties.
City confirmed the move in the same statement in which the 55-year-old announced he would step down as head coach at the end of the season, and revealed that Guardiola will soon be providing technical advice to clubs in the group and working on specific projects and collaborations.
In addition to the giants at the Etihad Stadium, City Football Group operates nine clubs around the world, meaning Guardiola will no doubt have his hands full in his new role.
Guardiola will become City Football Group’s global ambassador after stepping down as head coach.(Image: Alex Pantling – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
Girona (Spain), Lommel SK (Belgium), Troyes (France), Palermo (Italy), New York City FC (USA), Montevideo City Torque (Uruguay), Bahia (Brazil), Melbourne City FC (Australia), Yokohama F. Marinos (Japan) and Shenzhen Pengcheng (China) are all under its umbrella.
Guardiola’s fresh role means that, away from the dugout, he will continue to play a key role in City’s future, albeit behind the scenes rather than in the spotlight.
The Spaniard will follow a similar path to Jurgen Klopp, who signed with Red Bull as their new head of global football after leaving Liverpool in 2024.
Klopp started his new role on a four-year contract on January 1, 2025, and it is reported that part of his contract included a clause that would allow him to apply for the Germany national team job if manager Julian Nagelsmann leaves.
Guardiola will follow in the footsteps of Jurgen Klopp, who signed with Red Bull as their new head of global football after leaving Liverpool in 2024.(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
It remains unclear whether Guardiola will have a similar clause in his new contract with City Football Group, but it would not be a big surprise given his previous links with international management.
His successor at the Etihad Stadium at the end of the season will be none other than former Liverpool assistant coach Pep Lijnders, who currently holds the same role at Man City.
According to The Athletic, Lijnders has been offered a new contract in the North West, with the club hoping he can bridge the gap between the Guardiola era and a new era, but he plans to turn it down in order to pursue opportunities elsewhere.
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