The striking impact of Pep Guardiola’s influence will reverberate long after he has ended his storied career

Munich head coach Vincent Kompany. (Photo: EPA-EFE/Christopher Neundorf)

29 Sep 2024

Spaniard Guardiola is already one of the most decorated coaches in history. And his legacy extends to having influenced a number of new-school coaches.

That Pep Guardiola is one of the best coaches in sports history cannot be questioned. He has the trophies and respect of his peers to back this up. However, his influence as a tactician has risen beyond his more easily quantifiable achievements.

Currently a healthy number of soccer managers are where they are thanks in part to the impact of Guardiola. The list includes coaches such as Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, his Chelsea counterpart Enzo Maresca and Bayern Munich mentor Vincent Kompany — just to name a few.

Arteta and Maresca both worked with Guardiola at Manchester City, serving as his assistants at different periods. Kompany played under him at the English champions.

Spanish connection

Arsenal’s Arteta was in Manchester between 2016 and 2019, enhancing his managerial acumen under the guidance of his long-time friend Guardiola, before deciding to fly solo by heading to London.

Since his move he has moulded an Arsenal outfit that plays an exhilarating brand of soccer that is now second only to that of Guardiola’s City following the departure of Jürgen Klopp from Liverpool.

Although evidently and admittedly influenced by his compatriot, Arteta has forged his own identity as a coach.

Nevertheless, Arteta always takes the opportunity to pay tribute to his former Barcelona teammate for the role Guardiola has played towards the type of tactician he is and strives to be.

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta. (Photo: EPA-EFE / Michele Maraviglia)

In 2023, Arteta went as far as likening Guardiola’s impact on modern soccer to that of the late Dutch great Johan Cruyff.

Cruyff ventured into coaching following an illustrious playing career. His decision would forever alter how soccer was played as he enjoyed successful stints with Ajax Amsterdam and Barcelona.

It was at the latter club that Cruyff coached Guardiola – shaping him into one of the best deep-lying playmakers and also planting a seed for management that Guardiola has nourished.

“The influence that Pep had in football in the past 20 years is just incredibly powerful,” said Arteta. “He changed the game like Johan did in the past, he did it like other managers who will go down in history.”

“So, we have learned a lot from him, we have been inspired by a lot of things he’s done. Now everyone has to build his own career and his own pathway,” he said.

Another disciple

Maresca — who coincidentally also finds himself in London after being appointed Chelsea manager at the beginning of this season — was Guardiola’s lieutenant when the Sky Blues clinched their historic treble during the 2022/23 campaign.

Prior to that he had been the coach of City’s reserve side and worked closely with Guardiola as a consequence.

After that he managed Leicester City for one season, leading them to the title in the English second tier and securing them a Premier League spot for the 2024/25 season in the process.

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca. (Photo: EPA-EFE/Andy Rain)

Despite limited experience as a head coach Chelsea have trusted Maresca with turning the team’s fortunes around. So far he has shown his quality, turning the Blues into a possession-based outfit similar to City.

In the past Maresca has worked with superpowers such as fellow Italians Carlo Ancelotti and Marcello Lippi, as well as Manuel Pellegrini. However, he says Guardiola is from a different realm.

“I’ve had the fortune of working with some of the best in the world. Ancelotti, Lippi, Pellegrini. But Pep is different,” Maresca said.

“I don’t see him as a manager. I see him as a genius, because he’s always ahead of the rest.”

Further afield

Beyond his colleagues in the Premier League, Guardiola’s influence has also extended to the likes of former Barcelona and Spain midfield maestro Xavi Hernández. The pair played together briefly at Barcelona, drinking from the Cruyff cup of wisdom.

When Guardiola returned to coach Barcelona between 2008 and 2012, Hernández was a crucial part of the puzzle as a player and leader. Since then, he has retired and pursued coaching. The Spaniard has credited Guardiola as a major influence on his managerial style.

The same is true for former City and Belgium captain Vincent Kompany. Considered one of the best defenders of his generation, Kompany ventured into coaching after returning to his boyhood club Anderlecht. There he took over the role of player-manager.

Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany. (Photo: EPA-EFE/Christopher Neundorf)

That was in 2019. Since then, things have progressed rapidly for Kompany. He left Anderlecht for English side Burnley, with whom he won the Championship, before being relegated after one season in the Premier League.

Surprisingly, he earned the Bayern job despite that eventuality with Burnley. Despite his appointment being questioned, Kompany has started positively with the German heavyweights, with the club revealing a few months ago that Guardiola had been important in helping them make their decision.

Bayern’s supervisory board member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said the Germans had spoken to Guardiola prior to hiring Kompany, as the Spaniard is held in high regard after his three-season tenure with them between 2013 and 2016.

“Pep gave us a big helping hand. He was full of praise, and his opinion means a lot to us,” said Rummenigge.

This is the influence of Guardiola. It is an impact that, just like that of Cruyff, will reverberate long after the Spaniard departs. DM

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