Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, has underlined his dedication to the defending Premier League champions after allegedly turning down the opportunity to take over as Brazil’s new head coach.
Following Brazil’s unsuccessful World Cup campaign, the option to transition into international management was presented to the multiple title-winning manager who has achieved great success in Spain, Germany, and England.
After declining the offer, Guardiola, 51, who has established himself as one of football’s greatest managers with stints at Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City, won’t be making the switch anytime soon, as first reported by the Mirror. Guardiola has never managed at the international level.
After Brazil’s shocking World Cup quarterfinal elimination in Qatar, renowned striker Ronaldo contacted Guardiola’s agent Pere to see whether the Spaniard would be interested in taking over for Tite.
Guardiola, who signed a contract extension in November to keep him at Man City until 2024, though, was adamant about staying at the club for at least another two years.
For the first time since 1944, when Portuguese Joreca managed two games before resigning, the Brazilian FA is open to the notion of employing an outside manager, with Guardiola being viewed as the ideal candidate by top decision-makers.
Guardiola has previously stated his ambition to manage at the international level and is eager to give management in South America a shot, but he is desperate to win his first Champions League championship with City before moving on.
Guardiola’s current seven-year tenure at Manchester is the longest in his trophy-filled managerial career; he had previously been in Munich for just three years and the Barcelona dugout for just four.
The City manager recently acknowledged that, with the team vying for a third straight Premier League title, he would step down from his position if he thought his influence in the locker room was waning.
Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Real Madrid, was also contacted, but he similarly declined the opportunity to take over the five-time World Cup champions in favor of sticking with club soccer.
