Pep Guardiola reached a verbal agreement to become England’s next manager in 2024, before opting to stay at City for a further season, according to a report from The Athletic.
The FA had intended to appoint Guardiola as Gareth Southgate’s successor following Southgate’s resignation after the Euro 2024 final, with an agreement in place before the City manager ultimately chose to remain at the Etihad. Lee Carsley took interim charge of England before Thomas Tuchel was appointed on a permanent basis, beginning work on January 1, 2025.
Guardiola’s decision to stay didn’t yield major silverware in 2024/25, but he won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup in his final season before stepping down as City manager this summer. He remains without a new post.
The revelation comes with Tuchel facing scrutiny of his own after England’s World Cup semi-final exit to Argentina, having led the Three Lions to the last four before a late collapse cost them a place in the final. The FA has publicly backed Tuchel, with chief executive Mark Bullingham praising the squad’s effort, and Tuchel himself has said he is “100 percent” committed to leading England to Euro 2028.
For City, it’s a reminder of how differently the post-Guardiola era might have begun had he walked away two years earlier than he did — and offers some context for why the club were so keen to keep hold of him for as long as they could, even as the trophies dried up in that final full season.
This piece draws on reporting from The Athletic and has not been independently confirmed by City or the FA.
