History of Pep Guardiola in Timeline
Josep "Pep" Guardiola is a highly successful Catalan football manager, currently managing Manchester City. Renowned for his tactical innovation and possession-based playing style, he's one of two managers to win the continental treble twice. Guardiola holds records for consecutive league wins in La Liga, Bundesliga, and the Premier League. Widely considered one of the greatest managers, his influence on modern football is undeniable, marked by numerous titles and a distinct footballing philosophy.
January 1971: Pep Guardiola Born
In January 1971, Josep "Pep" Guardiola Sala was born. He is a Catalan football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester City.
1990: First Team Debut
In 1990, Guardiola made his debut for Barcelona's first team against Cádiz.
1990: Move to Midfield
In 1990, Johan Cruyff instructed that Guardiola, who was playing on the right side of midfield for Barcelona B, be moved into the middle to play as a pivot.
October 1992: Spain National Team Debut
On October 14, 1992, Guardiola debuted for the Spain national football team in a friendly match against Northern Ireland.
1994: Champions League Final
In 1994, Guardiola and Barcelona reached the UEFA Champions League final, but were defeated by AC Milan.
1994: FIFA World Cup Appearance
In 1994, Guardiola appeared at the FIFA World Cup for the Spanish national team.
1995: Catalonia Football Team
From 1995, Guardiola played seven friendly matches for Catalonia.
1995: Barcelona Finishing
In the 1994-95 season, Barcelona finished fourth.
1996: Three Cups Win
In the 1996-97 season, Barcelona, led by Bobby Robson, won the Copa del Rey, the Supercopa de España, and the European Cup Winners' Cup.
1997: Barcelona Captain
In 1997, Guardiola became the captain of Barcelona, a role he held until his departure in 2001.
1998: Missed World Cup
In 1998, Guardiola suffered a career-threatening injury that kept him out of the year's World Cup.
April 2001: Departure Announcement
On April 11, 2001, Barcelona's captain Guardiola announced his intention to leave the club after 17 years of service.
June 2001: Last Match with Barcelona
On June 24, 2001, Guardiola played his last match with Barcelona in the final game of the season against Celta Vigo, ending his 12 seasons with the first team.
2001: Contract Extension
After prolonged contract talks, Guardiola signed a new contract with Barcelona that extended his stay until 2001.
2001: Departure from Barcelona
In 2001, Guardiola departed from Barcelona after a long and successful career with the club.
2001: Best at dictating the tempo
In 2001, Pep Guardiola's agent Josè Maria Orobitg described him as the best in the world at dictating the tempo and rhythm of his team's play.
2005: Turns Down European Offers
In 2005, Guardiola turned down offers from a number of European clubs, feeling that his playing career was coming to a close.
2005: Catalonia Football Team
Until 2005, Guardiola played seven friendly matches for Catalonia.
2006: La Liga title
In 2006 Barcelona secured their first league title since 2006 when rivals Real Madrid lost at Villarreal on 16 May 2009.
2006: Joins Dorados
In 2006, Guardiola was recruited by Juan Manuel Lillo to play for Mexican club Dorados, where he played for six months before retiring due to injuries.
2006: Editorials for El Pais
In 2006, Guardiola's editorials for El Pais during the World Cup revealed his reverence for possession-based, attacking football, which he later cited as a major inspiration.
June 2007: Appointed Manager of Barcelona B
On June 21, 2007, Guardiola was appointed manager of Barcelona B with Tito Vilanova as his assistant.
May 2008: Appointed Manager of Senior Barcelona Squad
In May 2008, Barcelona President Joan Laporta announced that Guardiola would be appointed manager of the senior Barcelona squad to replace Frank Rijkaard.
2008: Barcelona First Team Manager
In 2008, Guardiola took charge of Barcelona's first team after briefly managing Barcelona B.
May 2009: Copa del Rey Win
On May 13, 2009, Guardiola's Barcelona won the 2008–09 Copa del Rey, beating Athletic Bilbao 4–1 in the 2009 Copa del Rey final.
September 2009: 50th Victory
On September 25, 2009, Guardiola achieved his 50th professional victory as Barcelona's manager.
2009: Cleared of Charges
In 2009, Guardiola was cleared of all charges related to his four-month ban for testing positive for nandrolone during his time in Italy.
January 2010: Longest serving Spanish manager for Barcelona
In January 2010, Guardiola became Barcelona's longest-serving Spanish manager, surpassing Josep Samitier's record. He also agreed to a one-year contract extension, keeping him with Barcelona until the end of the 2010–11 season.
February 2010: Guardiola manages his 100th match for Barcelona
In February 2010, Guardiola managed his 100th match for Barcelona's first team. His record at that point was 71 wins, 19 draws, and 10 losses, with 242 goals for and 76 against.
April 2010: First Barcelona manager to beat Real Madrid four times in a row
On April 10, 2010, Guardiola became the first manager in Barcelona's history to beat Real Madrid four times consecutively in El Clásico.
February 2011: Guardiola accepts one-year deal extension
On February 8, 2011, Guardiola accepted Barcelona's offer for a one-year deal extension, signing a contract until June 2012.
2011: Becomes all-time record holder of most titles won as a manager at Barcelona
In 2011, Barcelona won their second trophy of the season on August 26, beating Porto 2–0 in the 2011 UEFA Super Cup. With this trophy, Guardiola became the all-time record holder for the most titles won as a manager at Barcelona, with 12 trophies in just three years. In November 2011, Guardiola managed his 200th match for Barcelona's first team, with a record of 144 wins, 39 draws, and 17 losses, and 500 goals for and 143 against.
2011: Guardiola to step down as Barcelona's manager
In April 2012, specifically on April 27, Guardiola announced that he would step down as Barcelona's manager at the end of the 2011–12 season, citing tiredness as the main reason for his decision. Earlier that month, on April 24, Barcelona was knocked out of the Champions League semi-final after a 2–2 draw against Chelsea.
January 2012: Named FIFA World Coach of the Year
On January 9, 2012, Guardiola was named FIFA World Coach of the Year.
April 2012: Announces decision to step down as Barcelona's manager
In April 2012, specifically on April 27, Guardiola announced that he would step down as Barcelona's manager at the end of the 2011–12 season, citing tiredness as the main reason for his decision. Earlier that month, on April 24, Barcelona was knocked out of the Champions League semi-final after a 2–2 draw against Chelsea.
June 2012: Contract with Barcelona until June 2012
On February 8, 2011, Guardiola accepted Barcelona's offer for a one-year deal extension, signing a contract until June 2012.
2012: Takes sabbatical in New York City
After his time at Barcelona came to an end, Guardiola took a year's sabbatical in New York City in 2012.
2012: Most successful manager in Barcelona's history
In 2012, Guardiola continued to lead Barcelona to wins in the remaining La Liga games of the season, followed by a 3–0 win in the Copa del Rey final. With a record of 14 trophies in four seasons, he became the most successful manager in Barcelona's history. It was also announced that he would be succeeded by Tito Vilanova.
2012: End of Barcelona Stint
In 2012, Guardiola ended his four-year stint with Barcelona, having won 14 honors, a club record.
2012: Joins Bayern Munich
On January 16, 2013, it was announced that Guardiola would take over as manager of Bundesliga club Bayern Munich after the 2012–13 season.
January 2013: Third place for the 2012 FIFA World Coach of the Year
In January 2013, Guardiola came in third place for the 2012 FIFA World Coach of the Year, behind Vicente del Bosque and José Mourinho.
January 2013: Announced as manager of Bayern Munich
On January 16, 2013, it was announced that Guardiola would take over as manager of Bundesliga club Bayern Munich after the 2012–13 season.
June 2013: First press conference at Bayern Munich
On June 24, 2013, Guardiola addressed his first press conference at Bayern Munich in German, and had his first training session two days later.
December 2013: Third Club World Cup win
In December 2013, Guardiola won his third Club World Cup after Bayern beat Raja Casablanca in Morocco.
2013: Bayern in Champions League semi-finals
In 2013, Bayern were drawn against Real Madrid in the semi–finals of Champions League. Bayern lost the first leg 1–0 and the second leg 4–0.
2013: Joins Bayern Munich
In 2013, Guardiola joined Bayern Munich and won the Bundesliga in each of his three seasons.
March 2014: Leads Bayern to their 23rd Bundesliga title
On March 25, 2014, Guardiola led Bayern to their 23rd Bundesliga title by beating Hertha Berlin 3–1 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. This was the earliest the championship had been won in Bundesliga history.
May 2014: Guardiola Married Cristina Serra
In May 2014, Guardiola married Cristina Serra.
2014: Criticism of Tiki-Taka
In 2014, Guardiola criticized tiki-taka style football, stating, "I loathe all that passing for the sake of it, all that tiki-taka. It's so much rubbish and has no purpose."
March 2015: Bayern ties largest win in Champions League history
On March 11, 2015, Bayern defeated Shakhtar Donetsk 7–0, tying their largest win in Champions League history.
April 2015: Bayern knocked out of the German Cup
On April 28, 2015, Bayern were knocked out of the German Cup in a penalty shoot-out, missing all four of their shots.
August 2015: Loss in German Super Cup
On August 1, 2015, the 2015–16 season started with Bayern losing in a shoot-out to Wolfsburg in the German Super Cup.
October 2015: First loss in all competitions
On October 20, 2015, Bayern's only loss in the Champions League group stage was against Arsenal. This was Bayern's first loss in all competitions during the 2015–16 season.
December 2015: First loss in the league
On December 5, 2015, Bayern's first loss in the league was in a 3–1 scoreline to Borussia Mönchengladbach.
2015: Supports Political Independence of Catalonia
In 2015, Guardiola confirmed his participation in the pro-independence coalition, Junts pel Sí, for the regional parliamentary election.
February 2016: Manchester City signs Guardiola
On February 1, 2016, Manchester City signed Guardiola to a three-year contract for the start of the 2016–17 season. Guardiola brought in several significant players in the summer, including midfielders İlkay Gündoğan and Nolito, winger Leroy Sané, and defender John Stones. He also replaced goalkeeper Joe Hart with Claudio Bravo.
August 2016: First victory in Premier League
On August 13, 2016, Guardiola earned victory in his first match of the Premier League season, as City defeated Sunderland 2–1.
2016: Joins Manchester City
In 2016, Guardiola left Bayern Munich to join Manchester City.
2016: Departure from Bayern Munich confirmed
On December 20, 2015, Bayern confirmed that Guardiola was leaving the club after his contract expired at the end of the 2015-2016 season, with Carlo Ancelotti his replacement for the 2016–17 season.
January 2017: Biggest-ever managerial defeat in domestic competition
On January 15, 2017, Manchester City lost to Everton 0–4; this was Guardiola's biggest-ever managerial defeat in a domestic competition.
2018: Best midfielder in the world
In 2018 Marco Frattino considered that Twenty years ago, Pep Guardiola was one of the best midfielders in the world.
2018: Domestic Treble
In 2018, Guardiola led Manchester City to a domestic treble.
August 2019: Community Shield Victory and Yellow Card
On August 4, 2019, Guardiola's Manchester City won the Community Shield against Liverpool in a penalty shoot-out. Guardiola also became the first Premier League manager to receive a yellow card during the match.
2019: Premier League Titles
From 2019, Guardiola won four successive Premier League titles with Manchester City.
2019: Community Shield Win
In 2019, Manchester City won the Community Shield for the first time since 2019, marking the third time in the Guardiola era that they have won it.
August 2020: Champions League Quarter-Final Loss
On August 15, 2020, Guardiola's Manchester City lost 1–3 to Lyon in the Champions League quarter-finals, marking their third consecutive season being eliminated at this stage.
November 2020: New Contract with Manchester City
On November 19, 2020, Guardiola signed a new two-year contract with Manchester City, extending his tenure until the summer of 2023.
2020: First Champions League Final
In the 2020-21 season, Guardiola guided Manchester City to their first Champions League final.
January 2021: 500th Win as Manager
On January 31, 2021, Guardiola achieved his 500th win as a manager after Manchester City beat Sheffield United 1–0. The team also set a record for the most wins in a single month in English football.
2021: New contract with City until 2021
After finishing the league season with a record-breaking 100 points, Guardiola signed a new contract with City until 2021.
2021: Signing Jack Grealish
During the summer transfer window of 2021, Manchester City broke the British transfer record by signing Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish for £100m.
2021: Premier League Title and Champions League Final Loss
In 2021, Guardiola won his third Premier League title with Manchester City and claimed the EFL Cup for the fourth successive time. However, they lost the Champions League final to Chelsea 0–1.
May 2022: Premier League Title
On May 22, 2022, Manchester City won the Premier League title with a 3–2 victory over Aston Villa, marking Guardiola's fourth title with the club.
November 2022: Contract Extension with Manchester City
On November 23, 2022, Guardiola signed a new two-year contract with Manchester City, extending his stay until the summer of 2025.
2022: Modern 3-2-2-3 Formation
In 2022, Guardiola implemented a modern version of the 3–2–2–3 formation, likened to the WM formation, at Manchester City.
2022: Champions League Title
In the 2022-23 season, Guardiola guided Manchester City to their first Champions League title as part of his second continental treble.
May 2023: Cameo appearance in Ted Lasso
In May 2023, Guardiola made a cameo appearance in Ted Lasso, giving Ted Lasso a handshake and advice after Manchester City's defeat.
August 2023: UEFA Super Cup Title
On August 16, 2023, Guardiola won his fourth UEFA Super Cup title, becoming the first manager to win the trophy with three different clubs after Manchester City defeated Sevilla on penalties.
2023: Treble-Winning Season Tactics
During the 2022-23 season, Guardiola used a modern version of the 3–2–2–3 formation during Manchester City's treble–winning season. Jonathan Wilson likened the role of John Stones to both the libero and wing-half roles in 2023.
May 2024: Fourth Straight Premier League Title
On May 19, 2024, Manchester City secured their fourth consecutive Premier League title, becoming the first English club to achieve this feat.
November 2024: Contract Extension and Heavy Defeat
In November 2024, specifically on November 22nd, Guardiola signed a two-year contract extension with Manchester City, keeping him at the club until 2027. However, a day later, on November 23rd, he suffered his heaviest home defeat as Manchester City manager with a 4–0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur.
2024: Premier League Titles
In 2024, Guardiola won four successive Premier League titles with Manchester City.
February 2025: Champions League Elimination
On February 19, 2025, Manchester City was eliminated from the 2024–25 Champions League after losing to Real Madrid.
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