Pep Guardiola was asked about making a perfect comeback to football after leaving Man City.
Pep Guardiola was quickly offered a great chance to get back into coaching after his emotional farewell from Manchester City, new reports show.
Guardiola left City in May after an incredible 10 years, during which he won lots of trophies.
He finished his time at the Etihad Stadium with wins in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup but said he didn’t have the energy to keep going.
Enzo Maresca, who had worked closely with Guardiola at City, took over as the new manager.
Guardiola also talked with the Italian Football Federation about becoming their national coach, but that didn’t work out, and former City manager Roberto Mancini got the job again.
Then, on Tuesday, it came out that Guardiola was the top choice to become the new coach of the Netherlands, according to Nigel de Jong, another former City player.
De Jong, now the technical director of the Dutch football federation, revealed this during a press conference introducing Xavi Hernandez as the new Dutch manager.
He said their first pick after Ronald Koeman stepped down was Guardiola, but he wanted to take a year off.
Their second choice was Arne Slot, but he preferred to stick to club football.
So, they went with Xavi, who’s standing right beside de Jong in the press room.
Guardiola has strong ties to the Netherlands through his football philosophy, inspired by the Dutch legend Johan Cruyff, who coached him at Barcelona.
Xavi, who learned from Guardiola as a player and later followed his style as a manager, shares that same ‘total football’ approach.
Xavi said, “I have many connections with this country. It feels like I’m going to the university of football. I want my team to always have the ball, but with passion.”
He added, “We’re here to compete, enjoy, and win. I want to build a big family here.”
Xavi also spoke about how much Johan Cruyff influenced his coaching style.
He said, “I talked a lot with Johan Cruyff near the end of his life, even when he was sick. He was always positive, smiling, and full of good energy.”
“That’s what I want to share with my players—enjoying the process and staying positive.”
Xavi signed a four-year deal to replace Koeman and becomes the first non-Dutch coach of the Netherlands national team since 1978.
His first game in charge will be a big one—against Germany, managed by Jurgen Klopp, who is also returning.
This Nations League match is set for 24 September at the Johan Cruyff Arena.