Guardiola’s contract at Man City expires in 2025
Pep Guardiola has been tipped to replace Gareth Southgate as England manager after the 53-year-old resigned on Tuesday.
Guardiola, whose contract at City expires at the end of next season, has already expressed a keen interest in stepping into international football at the conclusion of his contract.
Guardiola has enjoyed an incredibly decorated tenure at the Premier League side, winning five Premier League titles, four Carabao Cups, two FA Cups, two Community Shields, one Champions League, one Super Cup and one Club World Cup.
Although he hasn’t ruled out extending his stay at the Etihad, back in February this year he opened up on his ambitions.
“A national team. I would like to train a national team for a World Cup or a European Championship. I would like that,” he told ESPN Brazil.
“I don’t know who would want me! To work for a national team they have to want you, just like a club.”
Asked to explain his motivation for wanting to manage an international side, Guardiola revealed that he has never set himself the personal goal of winning a World Cup or major continental tournament.
He would be an asset to any national team
“I never thought about it like that [with the goal to win a world Cup],” he added.
“When I started in this I never thought about winning a league title or winning the Champions League. No. I thought, I have a job? OK.
“I would like to have the experience of living through a World Cup, or a Euro or a Copa América, or whatever it is. I would like that.
“I don’t know when that would be, if that is five, 10, 15 years from now but I would like to have the experience of being a manager in a World Cup.”
In the past, Guardiola has been linked with Spain and the United States but the England job could be the perfect opportunity for Guardiola.
If he was to take the reigns at the conclusion of his City contract, he would have a year to work with a national side before the World Cup in 2026 which takes place in the US, Mexico and Canada.
It would leave England in limbo for a year but may be worth it to get a managerial mastermind like Guardiola.
England Under-21 manager Lee Carsley could step up to the role for a year until Guardiola leaves City next summer.
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