Pep Guardiola Quick Info | |
---|---|
Height | 5 ft 11 in |
Weight | 88 kg |
Date of Birth | January 18, 1971 |
Zodiac Sign | Capricorn |
Spouse | Cristina Serra |
Pep Guardiola is a Spanish professional soccer manager and former professional soccer player who has coached major European clubs like FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City; and is widely regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time. With FC Barcelona, he had won the La Liga title (2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11), the Copa del Rey (2008–09, 2011–12), the Supercopa de España (2009, 2010, 2011), the UEFA Champions League (2008–09, 2010–11), the UEFA Super Cup (2009, 2011), and the FIFA Club World Cup (2009, 2011). He had taken a sabbatical from coaching at the end of the 2011-12 season and joined German giants FC Bayern Munich in June 2013 with whom he had won the Bundesliga title (2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16), the DFB-Pokal trophy (2013–14, 2015–16), the UEFA Super Cup (2013), and the FIFA Club World Cup (2013). He then joined English club Manchester City at the start of the 2016–17 season and led them to the Premier League title (2017–18, 2018–19), the FA Cup (2018–19), the EFL Cup (2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20), and the FA Community Shield (2018, 2019). With all 3 of those clubs, he managed to win more than 70% of the matches that he was in charge of. He had been named the World Soccer Magazine‘s ‘World Manager of the Year’ and won the IFFHS ‘World’s Best Club Coach’ award in both 2009 and 2011. He had also been named the ‘European Coach of the Year’ and the ‘FIFA World Coach of the Year’ in 2011. In 2010, he was awarded the Spanish ‘Gold Medal Royal Order of Sports Merit’. The following year, he was honored with the Catalan Parliament’s ‘Gold Medal’, their highest honor.
Born Name
Josep Guardiola i Sala
Nick Name
Pep, Sergeant Pep, The Exceptional One, Fraudiola
Sun Sign
Capricorn
Born Place
Santpedor, Bages, Catalonia, Spain
Residence
He splits his time between Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, and Manchester, England, United Kingdom.
Nationality
Occupation
Professional Soccer Manager, Professional Soccer Player (Retired)
Family
- Father – Valentà Guardiola
- Mother – Dolors Sala (d. April 2020)
- Siblings – Francesca Guardiola i Sala (Older Sister) (Politician), Pere Guardiola i Sala (Younger Brother) (Soccer Agent, Soccer Team Co-owner), Olga Guardiola i Sala (Older Sister)
Shirt Number
- 4, 9 – Spain
- 10, 7, 5, 3, 8, 4 – FC Barcelona
- 28 – Brescia Calcio
- 28 – AS Roma
Playing Position
Defensive Midfielder
Build
Average
Height
5 ft 11 in or 180.5 cm
Weight
88 kg or 194 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Pep has dated –
- Cristina Serra (1989–Present) – Pep had first met Cristina Serra at a Barcelona fashion store owned by her family, in 1989. The pair began dating soon after and got married in a ceremony in Matadepera, Spain, on May 29, 2014, after nearly 25 years of courtship. They have 3 children together – 2 daughters named Maria Guardiola (b. 2001) and Valentina Guardiola (b. 2008), and a son named Marius Guardiola (b. 2003).
Race / Ethnicity
Hispanic
He is of Spanish descent.
Hair Color
Bald
Eye Color
Light Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Bald
- Sports a rugged beard
- Toned physique
Religion
Agnostic Atheism
Pep Guardiola Facts
- Although Pep is primarily known for his managerial exploits, he was also an exceptional player in his own right. He was a solid defensive midfielder and had spent the majority of his career at FC Barcelona, representing them in 263 games from 1990 to 2001. He had also captained the club from 1997 until his departure in 2001.
- With the team, he had won the La Liga title (1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1997–98, 1998–99), the Copa del Rey (1996–97), the Supercopa de España (1991, 1992, 1994, 1996), the European Cup (1991–92), the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup (1996–97), and the UEFA Super Cup (1992, 1997).
- At the international level, he had represented Spain at the Under-21 and Under-23 tiers, winning the ‘Gold Medal’ at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. He was honored with the Bravo Award later that year which recognizes the world’s best player under the age of 21. At the senior level, he had helped Spain reach the quarter-final of both the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the 2000 UEFA Euro tournament.
- A vocal advocate for the political independence of Catalonia from Spain, he had also played 7 friendly games for the unrecognized and non-affiliated Catalonia national football team between 1995 and 2005.
- In his very first season with FC Barcelona (2008–09) as a manager, he had won the treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey, and UEFA Champions League. The feat had also made him the youngest manager to win the UEFA Champions League.
- Before he joined German giants FC Bayern Munich in June 2013 as their manager, he used to practice the German language for 4-5 hours every day to prepare for his position. He won the Bundesliga title with the club in each season (2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16) that he managed the team.
- When he led Manchester City to the Premier League title in the 2017–18 season, the team had become the first in history to record 100 league points in a Premier League season; with a 32-4-2 (Win-Draw-Loss) record in 38 games. The following season, 2018-19, he became the first manager to win the domestic treble (the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the EFL Cup) in English men’s soccer.
- In 2023, Guardiola became the fastest manager to record 200 wins in the Premier League. He took 269 matches to achieve this feat.
Featured Image by Pep Guardiola / Instagram
1994: 80 kg
Now: 90 kg