The 70 best quotes by Pep Guardiola

We review the famous quotes and reflections of this great ex-footballer and coach.

Josep Guardiola, better known as Pep Guardiola (Sampedor, Spain, 1971) is a successful former soccer player and coach.

The Catalan's soccer career developed mostly in the club of his love, Futbol Club Barcelona, where he played for 11 seasons and was able to win 6 La Liga trophies and a Champions League, among many other merits and titles of great prestige.

His time as a coach has been even more glorious if possible. As Barça's first coach, he managed to win all possible titles in a single season, being the first and only manager to achieve such a feat.

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Pep Guardiola's famous quotes

To get to know Pep Guardiola's personality a little more closely, we are going to delve into his most outstanding statements, famous quotes and reflections.

Welcome to the compilation of Pep Guardiola's best quotes..

1. Citizens of Catalonia, we have it here!

Evoking the phrase of President Companys, this is how he welcomed one of the titles won during his time as a player: the 1992 Champions League.

2. Don't worry, you will see that one day Messi will score a headed goal. And it will be a good goal.

Alluding to La Pulga, who finally scored a few headed goals.

3. I'm convinced that the best thing for Barça is for Eto'o to leave. Of course I could be wrong, but I am here to make decisions of this kind.

In the end he had to retract his decision, as Samuel Eto'o remained in the squad and was a key player that season.

4. Beating Real Madrid gives me morbid excitement.

About the eternal rival.

5. If we lose we will still be the best team in the world, but if we win we will be eternal.

A motivational phrase that helped us win a Champions League.

6. I will forgive the players for not getting it right, but I will never forgive them for not trying hard.

About one of the fundamental values to be a blaugrana player.

7. Maybe they are right and I piss cologne.

An ironic comment on the most veiled criticism of Madrid's journalism.

8. We have only won three points, but the how will remain forever.

The way Pep's Barça played will always remain in our memory.

9. We are from a place, from a country called Catalonia that is up there, that plays very little role.

About his country, for which he has a great feeling of belonging.

10. I am not a psychologist. I'm a guy who played soccer and I only have a coaching degree and a high school diploma.

About his academic background.

11. Mourinho is the fucking master, the fucking boss of the press room.

Great sarcastic phrase during the most tense moments with the then Madrid coach.

12. José, off the field, you have already won me. I give you your particular Champions League off the field, let you enjoy it and take it home.

Another sentence to Mourinho.

13. In this room he is the fucking boss, the fucking master and I don't want to compete at any time. I just remind him that we have been together for four years. He knows me and I know him.

In the same line.

14. On the pitch I try to learn a lot when I play against Mourinho. Off the field I try to learn little.

A criticism of the bad verbal arts of the Portuguese coach.

15. I congratulated Real Madrid for the victory and the Cup they won. The referee of the Cup final was very attentive and smart. Offside is by centimeters.

A refereeing decision benefited Real Madrid.

16. I am like a woman. I can do several things simultaneously. I can control both situations.

On their divided attention span.

17. Cruyff's legacy is infinite.

The myth of Johann Cruyff, may he rest in peace, is a great treasure for Barça.

18. Johan was like that teacher that you always expected to have class with him.

Emotional words towards his mentor.

19. When Leo Messi leaves soccer there will surely be a sinkhole.

Logically, Messi's mark on soccer is irreproducible.

Messi is the best player we have ever seen and I believe he will be the best player we will ever see.

Probably the best footballer in history.

21. I wish Leo would retire at 40. He never plays badly because he is too good for him to afford it.

Leo's technique and intelligence are infinite.

22. When he plays without pressure, Messi gets bored and I feel sorry for those who want to occupy his throne, because it is useless.

Another sincere praise for the Argentinean.

23. Who is more complete than Messi? He is the best in everything, in work, in association, in understanding the game. He is simply the best footballer I have ever seen and will ever see.

Certainly, Messi's talent encompasses all facets of the game.

24. The only thing I did at Barça was to pass on the learning of Cruyff and Rexach to the new generations.

Their mentors and all their learning.

25. Signing for Real Madrid would be absurd and countercultural.

An impossibility, practically.

26. They say that it is easier to change women than to change soccer team... And it is true.

The feelings towards the colors are eternal.

27. There is nothing more dangerous than not taking risks.

Defensive soccer usually has bad results in the long run.

28. I did everything I could with Ibrahimovic, but I couldn't understand him. It's a footballing issue.

One of the most controversial stars, Zlatan, and his cold relationship with Pep.

29. I assume I was wrong about the signings, but that doesn't mean that the players were not of the right level.

Sometimes, if a player doesn't fit into a project, it's a question of chemistry, not quality.

I left 6,000 kilometers away and I asked him (Rosell) to leave me alone, but they have not kept their word.

A comment after his departure.

31. They have used Tito's illness to hurt me and that is something I will never forget.

Also about the Barcelona board of directors at the time.

32. I hate 'tiki-taka'. I hate it. Tiki-taka is passing the ball for the sake of passing, without any intention. And this is useless. Don't believe what they say: Barça had no tiki-taka at all! That's an invention! Don't pay attention!

Absolutely true: Pep's Barça's game had a strict sense of offensive efficiency.

33. La Liga is won in the last eight games, but it can be lost in the first eight.

Pep Guardiola's great reflection on the regularity championship.

I need to hug my players and explain to them, I need to convince them, there is nothing more wonderful than trying to get your ideas into your players' heads.

Persuasion and sharing ideas makes the team better.

35. What characterizes a good coach? What the players will say about him when it's all over.

Memories always remain.

36. The players are not fools: if they see you hesitate, they catch it instantly; and if sometimes you are not clear, don't talk to them, go home and the next day, when you are clear, you talk to them. Soccer players are pure intuition, they smell blood, when they see you weak, they stick the sword in you.

A coach has to transmit total determination.

37. I'm very selfish in soccer: I want the ball for myself, and if the opponent has it, I won't wait for him, I'm going to take it from him, let him know that I'm going to take it from him, that I'm going to get it. That's what my teams are like.

Defensive pressure was one of the keys to Barça's success during the Pep era.

38. There are phrases I've heard that I don't believe. You have to run little, it's the ball that has to run', for example. No: here you have to run a lot. I'm less romantic than many people think.

His strategy was not very romantic and very effective.

39. Those who doubt everything are those who are most successful.

Precisely because they have few certainties.

40. Soccer is the simplest game in the world: the feet only have to obey the head.

A philosophical reflection.

41. When you can no longer motivate your players as a coach is when you know it is time to leave.

There comes a time when it is time to renew the bench so that the team continues to function.

42. I am aware that for you I have not fulfilled my duty by not winning the three titles, I have to live with that. But I know that I have given everything.

You cannot be reproached for your absolute dedication in every game.

43. Even if you don't win the treble, Bayern will still be the best club in the world.

At the time he made these statements, Bayern Munich seemed unstoppable.

44. I cannot promise titles, but I can promise hard work and dedication.

Sincerity and honesty.

45. The most wonderful thing about my profession is to imagine the game that will happen tomorrow.

To be a manager you have to play God.

46. The most educational tool I have had has been through sport. I have learned to accept defeat, that someone else is better, to get up after not having done things well, to make an effort to do better...

Sport is a real school of values.

47. I never ask anything special of my players. Only that they do what they know how to do and be daring. Without daring, you can't win important matches.

You have to be responsible but at the same time daring.

48. When you go to a place to coach, you have to try to transmit what you feel.

No one succeeds with someone else's ideas.

49. It's not between me and Mourinho now. We can't just focus on ourselves or someone else will win.

There are other rivals who also compete in tournaments.

50. I will always be grateful to the people who gave me the opportunity to come here. We may not win anything, but we are going to try.

On a new stage in his coaching career.

51. We have to be bold, go out on the field and do things, not sit back and wait for it to happen. We have to show what we can do and that we deserve to win the title. We have to be brave and go out and play...

Some inspirational phrases for just before the start of the decisive match.

52. We can't always look in the mirror and say how good we are. When things are going well is when we have to be more attentive. The fear of losing is the fundamental reason to compete well.

Never let your guard down, even if everything looks good.

53. We will only be remembered if we win, if we don't win, all this will remain an anecdote.

Important winning mentality of the Catalan.

54. You are good and you know you are good. Enter. I am a great defender of the human being and I believe very, very, very much in him. You have to run, you have to run, move, because if you don't... They're waiting for us on that side, take it out the back and put it in the other side!

Motivational phrase for his team.

55. If we get up early and work hard, we are an unstoppable country.

About Catalonia and its people.

56. The secret of a good team is in order, that everyone knows what to do.

The automatisms and the good plays come from order.

57. Did I win four classics as coach? No, we won them.

An important nuance that reveals your collectivist mentality.

58. I hate to lose even in training or in matches. I hate to lose, even at table soccer.

He always wants to win.

59. A part of me says that I should stay involved in soccer and another part says that I should stay away from it.

Faced with a difficult decision after his successful career as coach of Futbol Club Barcelona.

60. Gentlemen, do you realize when you feel tired and think that life is difficult, that a teammate of yours has played 13 matches with a monster that was eating him from the inside? Okay, we are tired, there are excuses, but there are priorities: we are in good health and Abi has given us all an example.

About Abidal, who played despite suffering from a very aggressive cancer.

61. Help them because in this way you will help yourselves.

In giving there is also receiving.

62. We can never deceive them because we will be caught and when we are caught, we will have lost.

Honesty is always the best option.

63. There is no coach who does not want the Champions League because it is a brutal competition, it is very nice, but the League gives you something different, it is the day-to-day work, the effort, it gives a lot of value to the team.

The differences between the two big competitions.

64. Soccer does not end because one, two or three people are missing.

Nobody is irreplaceable, not even himself.

65. There are many matches that you have to sweat Blood to win.

There is no small rival, any match is a fight of 90 minutes.

66. Playing soccer without objectives makes you lazy.

You always have to keep in mind the short, medium and long term objectives.

67. I judge my team by its intentions, not by the result.

Special emphasis must be placed on the importance of doing one's best on every play.

68. A coach's dream is that everyone believes in your idea, because the players know that we want the best for them.

The soccer concept determines the identity of each club.

69. Mourinho and I are twins, we both want to win titles. Conte, too. And Klopp, and Pochettino. I will never criticize other coaches for how they play.

Respectful of rival coaches.

70. Iniesta helped me understand soccer better by watching him play.

About an often underrated crack: Andrés Iniesta.