Pep Guardiola has admitted that returning to management after ending his Manchester City career could be extremely difficult. His close friend Txiki Begiristain has also advised him that, after leaving football behind, he should temporarily step away from the “roller coaster” of the sport and experience a completely different lifestyle.

Now 55 years old, Guardiola ended his 10-year spell as Manchester City manager in May and plans to take an extended break. He has even suggested that he may never return to the touchline.

This summer, the Italian Football Federation attempted to persuade him to take charge of the national team, but Guardiola made it clear that he was exhausted and did not want to immediately take on a new challenge.

In Amazon’s documentary “A Beautiful Obsession,” Guardiola spoke about his future:

“I don’t even know what I’m going to do next. I feel that coming back would be very difficult. At least that is how I feel today. I need to get many things in my life back to normal.”

“I need to slowly rediscover myself through different experiences. I need to sit down and switch off for a while. That is one of my biggest goals at the moment.”

Begiristain left his role as Manchester City’s director of football in the summer of 2025, but he had worked alongside Guardiola and their former teammates for nine years. He recalled that after City’s 0-3 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League earlier this year, he also experienced disappointment but quickly left the house and tried to move on from the result.

Begiristain said:

“I have always wanted to tell Guardiola this: you can lose a game 0-3, but life goes on. You can still enjoy many wonderful moments with friends.”

“But if everyone around him is from the football world and his mind is still completely focused on football, then he will remain trapped in the same ‘roller coaster’ he has always experienced. He needs time to truly step away and leave football behind.”

However, what could eventually bring Guardiola back to management may be whether he begins to miss the excitement of coaching and winning trophies.

In the documentary, Guardiola admitted:

“Seeing my team play great football, that joy and happiness, is what motivates me every morning. It is my goal. That feeling is incredibly addictive.”

“Many older coaches always want to come back after retirement, and then they want to come back again. They simply cannot let go of that feeling.”

Near the end of his Manchester City career, Guardiola showed the squad a special tribute video featuring the Bee Gees’ classic song “You Win Again.”

Reflecting on his time at Manchester City, Guardiola said:

“What I am most proud of is the history we created and everything we witnessed together. That period was truly amazing. Watching that team play made people very happy.”