Manchester City to honour Pep Guardiola with a statue
Manchester City will commission a statue of their legendary coach Josep ‘Pep’ Guardiola to be placed in the north area of the Etihad Stadium in Manchester. The owner Sheikh Mansour said the statue is a tribute to what Guardiola has achieved during his time as manager of the Citizens. ‘I believe Manchester City should have the best people, both on and off the pitch. Over ten years Pep has been the personification of that ambition,’ Mansour said, quoted on the club’s official site on Saturday (23 May).
This statue follows the end of the Spaniard’s tenure at Etihad Stadium at the end of this season. The former Barcelona boss decided to step down despite his contract remaining for another year. ‘He has left an indelible mark on the club’s DNA. One of the big responsibilities of how he delivered victories and helped the club lift many trophies,’ he added.
In addition to the statue, management also decided to rename the North Stand of the Etihad Stadium to the Pep Guardiola Stand to honour the club’s greatest-ever coach.
During his decade in charge, Guardiola has contributed a total of 20 trophies, including the club’s first Champions League title.
This statue marks the fourth time City have bestowed such honours after previously rewarding club legends Vincent Kompany, David Silva, and Sergio ‘Kun’ Aguero.
The club has decided to rename the Etihad Stadium’s North Stand to Pep Guardiola.
Guardiola will officially leave Manchester City at the end of the season after a decade of success with 20 trophies, including six Premier League titles. Vincent Kompany, now Bayern Munich manager, has acknowledged Guardiola’s significant influence on his coaching career.
Manchester City were unable to defend the Premier League title after being held by Bournemouth. Guardiola’s future is now under scrutiny as speculation about his departure grows. Guardiola congratulated Arsenal on winning the 2025/2026 Premier League, while praising the extraordinary effort of Manchester City’s players.