Pep Guardiola has reaffirmed his love for England amid speculation that the Spaniard could succeed Three Lions coach Thomas Tuchel.
German Tuchel, whose Chelsea team defeated Manchester City under Guardiola in the 2021 final, is under pressure after England’s exit from the semi-finals against Argentina on Wednesday.
“I have friends there,” Guardiola explained. OK x Why would he “love” England to become champions? “I have a real connection with the UK.”
World Cup 2026: Guardiola’s advice to England
Tuchel agreed an 18-month contract to take charge in January 2025, and signed an extension until Euro 2028 five months ago.
The 52-year-old coach was appointed with the aim of addressing England’s excessive caution in tournaments and winning the title. World Cup.
Many fans and pundits have suggested that the way England surrendered to Argentina, when they squandered a 1-0 lead after 84 minutes, makes Tuchel’s position unacceptable.
Tuchel’s substitutions after England took the lead ensured that his team finished the match with six defenders on the pitch, and they barely had possession of the ball after their goal in the 55th minute.
Guardiola, known as the mastermind of a possession-dominant approach, is the bookies’ favorite to be England’s next permanent manager.
“You don’t have time to train, you don’t have time to train,” Guardiola said, describing the team’s “atmosphere” and avoiding injuries as “vital” and more important than tactics for success at the World Cup.
“A lot of the media is spying on what you’re doing… the lineup and (wanting) to know what system we’re going to use.”
In an encouraging sign for fans who hope Guardiola will become England coach, he spoke about “how happy” he and his team expect to feel in the tournament.
“(You should) live the moment as if it were the last chance,” he suggested. “(It’s) like — ‘Wow, how good (we can be) every day, you know?’
“In the canteen, at training – but (it’s) not before we sleep. (It’s about) gathering in the room and playing cards or chess or whatever.
“This kind of thing is very important in this kind of tournament.”
Pep Guardiola: I need to “feel good” with the next club
Guardiola left City A year before his contract expires at the end of last season, after overseeing two seasons without winning the Premier League title.
The former Bayern Munich and Barcelona coach won the Premier League six times and the 2022/23 Champions League as part of a torrent of titles with the Citizens.
“People say, ‘Oh – you’ll be back in three months, you’ll be back in six months,'” Guardiola said.
“Maybe, but I have to feel it and feel like I really miss him and need him. Now, all these three weeks (or) month, (I wake up) in the morning and they say ‘Oh, Pep – do you miss him?’
“I said no.” Okay, good. Let’s go.’ This is how I feel now. Maybe one day I’ll wake up and say: OK, I want to come back – I want to prove again that I’m a good coach.
“I want to engage with the players and deal with them, my sporting director and the hierarchy.” Right now, I don’t feel that way.
“A lot of players – young players and old players – said ‘I want to leave. Here I am, in cold Manchester, and I’m not playing. “I want to leave.”
“And you have to replace those guys. But the very big task is (about) the organization, the sporting director, the CEO, the CEOs, the hierarchy, recruiting the right players that you need.
“Everyone makes mistakes at it. (It requires) making (less expensive) mistakes (and making them) as few as possible. That’s the key point.”
Lamine Yamal “can win” the World Cup final
Spain face Argentina in the final on Sunday, with Guardiola backing his compatriots and 19-year-old Lamine Yamal against the defending champions.
“He is a man who can handle pressure,” Guardiola said about Yamal, noting that the Barcelona winger reached the finals recovering from a hamstring injury.
“He can win the game himself. You can talk about tactics but Spain has… the players and Lamine who can score a goal.
“This is the biggest difference. If Rodri can always impose his game in the midfield with Pedri and Lamine Yamal, they can achieve this.”
Brazilian striker Neymar joined Barcelona shortly after Guardiola left the club in 2012. Guardiola said: “Always, always, as a coach, I would have loved to coach Neymar,” expressing his “regret” for not working with the Seleção’s all-time top scorer.
“His grace and beauty lie in his movements. At his best, with Leo Messi, Luis Suarez and him, Barcelona were unstoppable.”
He explained that a lack of “energy” and back problems contributed to Guardiola’s decision to “take care of myself a little bit” by taking a break.
“(I want) to see more of my children,” he added. “My father is 95 and still here, and my sisters and brothers.
“(Progressing more) slowly is (partly) the goal. After (that), we’ll see. If I miss (football) and someone wants me back, (I’ll consider my options).”
“Otherwise I will continue. I am not young anymore. I am not 35, 36, 37, 40 or 41. I was always thinking why (everything) has always been linked to football my whole life.
“(Is all I can do is play or manage football? Why shouldn’t I try to discover a life or be happy or be fulfilled as a human being doing other things, not just football-related?)”
“It’s a question mark. I don’t know, because since I was a little kid in my small town, (it was all) football, football, football until (I left City).”
“Now I try to maybe enjoy doing other things that I haven’t done before (and) now I want to do.”
