Josep Guardiola Sala, commonly known as Pep Guardiola, is a name that comes to mind when discussing the greatest coaches. This recognition is not just due to luck or fortune, but to the hard work and consistency the Spaniard has demonstrated over the past few years.
Pep Guardiola is indeed worthy of all the accolades, as his worst league finish is third place, and it cannot be said that all his successes came by luck. Besides that, Guardiola is the only manager to have won the continental treble on two major occasions and is the youngest to claim the UEFA Champions League title. He also holds the record for the longest winning streak in league games across La Liga, the Bundesliga, and the Premier League. Additionally, Guardiola is recognized for leveraging tiki-taka football, characterized by short passing and movement, working the ball through various channels, and maintaining possession.
As the renowned American author John C. Maxwell said, “Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.” Pep Guardiola has indeed left his mark by not only winning titles but also serving as a career worthy of emulation. He has impacted many top-performing coaches we see today, who are perfectly emulating the Catalan manager.
Xabi Alonso (Bayer Leverkusen)
Guardiola coached Xabi Alonso as a player at Bayern Munich from 2014-2016.
“It’s clear to me how he wants to play, and what he wants from me. I’ve come here to learn from him. I am convinced that I can adapt my style,” Alonso said in an interview with UEFA when he signed for Bayern.
Alonso played a crucial role at Bayern Munich for three years, becoming an essential part of Guardiola’s setup after joining in the manager’s second season. Despite being in the twilight of his playing career, Alonso consistently showcased his exceptional quality, contributing significantly to three consecutive title-winning seasons.
Teaming up with Thiago, he served as Bayern’s primary playmaker, effortlessly handling the creative responsibilities. A testament to his influence was his 204 touches in Bayern’s 2-0 win against Cologne in 2014, during just his fifth start, a record that still stands in the Bundesliga, emphasizing that the Spanish learnt a lot from Guardiola as he really had a good run of form under him.
Alonso came into the limelight as a coach in the 2023/24 season when he set Leverkusen to a new record for unbeaten games, surpassing Bayern Munich’s 32 in February 2024. Alonso also led Leverkusen to a 5–0 win over Werder Bremen to clinch their first Bundesliga title and first German championship in history. On 9 May 2024,he guided his team to achieve a new European record of 49 competitive matches without defeat in all competitions, breaking Benfica’s record of 48 games unbeaten between 1963 and 1965. The streak was further extended to 51 matches without defeat with two additional Bundesliga wins, making for a full unbeaten Bundesliga season, before bringing it to an end with a 3–0 loss to Atalanta in the 2024 UEFA Europa League Final. Alonso is considered to be one of the best young managers in the world.
Mikel Arteta (Arsenal)
Mikel Arteta served as an assistant coach for Pep Guardiola at Manchester City from 2016 to 2019 before heading to Arsenal.
Arteta learned a lot from the City boss; he even stood in as Man City manager during a 2–1 Champions League loss against Lyon on 19 September 2018 due to Guardiola’s touchline ban. Under Pep, Arteta won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and two EFL Cups while serving as an assistant coach.
Since joining Arsenal, Arteta has won the FA Cup and the FA Community Shield on two occasions. He has come close to the Premier League title twice, failing to clinch it on both occasions, with his former boss Guardiola winning it each time. However, Arteta has been a formidable competitor to his former boss over the past two years and continues to pose a threat in the ongoing 2024/25 season, with both vying for the title. This dynamic reflects a successful relationship between apprentice and mentor.
Vincent Kompany (Bayern Munich)
Guardiola coached Kompany for a couple of seasons at Manchester City, where he served as captain. The Belgian defender excelled and learned a lot under Guardiola before leaving for his boyhood club, Anderlecht, in 2019.
Despite skepticism from many after assuming the head coach role at Bayern, Kompany proved his critics wrong by scoring 20 goals over three matches—two away wins in the domestic league and a 9–2 Champions League victory over Dinamo Zagreb.
Kompany promises to be an up-and-coming coach the world should watch out for.
Erik Ten Hag (Manchester United)
With the same height, identical “haircuts,” and less than a year separating them in age, it’s no surprise Erik ten Hag was dubbed “Pep’s double” when they both joined Bayern Munich.
Ten Hag served as a reserve manager under Guardiola at Bayern from 2014 to 2015.
The Dutchman described the two years he worked alongside Guardiola at Bayern Munich as “like winning the lottery,” emphasizing that he indeed learned a lot from the Spanish manager.
Ten Hag had a very successful career at Ajax, winning the Eredivisie, the Netherlands’ top-flight league, on three occasions. However, he has faced challenges during his tenure at United. Despite the criticisms, he has managed to win an FA Cup (2023-24) and an EFL Cup (2022-23) for United.
Enzo Maresca (Chelsea)
Maresca worked under Guardiola at Manchester City as an assistant manager before achieving success by guiding Leicester City back into the Premier League last season.
The Italian manager oversaw a total of 53 matches for Leicester City, winning 36, drawing 4, and losing 13 before joining Chelsea on July 1, 2024.
Xavi (formerly of Barcelona)
“‘I can’t imagine the team without you.’ That was it for me,” Xavi recounted his first conversation with Guardiola after returning to Barcelona for pre-season, having been named Player of the Tournament in Spain’s Euro 2008 triumph.
“ then on, my head was focused on Barça. I never wanted to leave Barcelona anyway, but even less so after Pep’s words. I was 100 percent convinced, just as Pep was convinced of the changes he made to the team,” Xavi explained, highlighting how much Guardiola impacted him.
Between 2008 and 2012, Xavi made 208 appearances under Guardiola, contributing 36 goals and 82 assists. Together, they secured every major club trophy during that time, including La Liga, the UEFA Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup.
However, Xavi’s tenure at Barcelona as a manager was a period of highs and lows. He won the 2022–23 La Liga and the 2023 Supercopa de España, demonstrating progress and a return to the club’s traditional style. However, he struggled in European competitions and faced inconsistent results, which eventually led to his dismissal in May 2024, despite initially deciding to fulfill his contract.
Pep Guardiola continues to have an impact on the football fraternity, and his legacy will live on forever.
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Story by: Gabriel Tecco Mensah | univers.ug.edu.gh
