Pep Guardiola’s impact on English football cannot be overstated.
The legendary coach was already one of the greatest managers of all time before moving to Manchester in 2016, and what he has done at the Etihad Stadium over the last nine years has only increased that dramatically.
The Spaniard has created some of the best teams the Premier League has ever seen, improved players to the point where they have achieved legendary status in English football, and broken records nobody believed could be achieved.
This has led his peers to the conclusion that Guardiola is the greatest manager in Premier League history, but Marco Materazzi believes the 54-year-old’s impact on English football has been much more than the above.
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English football has adopted Pep Guardiola’s philosophy
Materazzi knows exactly what English football was like in the 90s, having played for Everton during that period.
The Premier League was based on physicality and toughness, but the Italian now believes that the greatest legacy Guardiola will have left English football is his philosophy of the sport, as more and more teams start trying to take the legendary coach’s beliefs on board.
“It was not yet as evolved as it is at this time. Some teams played in a Latin way, West Ham, Manchester United and Arsenal under Arsene Wenger,” Materazzi told Serie A’s YouTube channel about his time in the Premier League.
“Others, like Wimbledon, the attackers came out, and I was a dwarf in comparison.
“However, English football has now adapted to the philosophy of Maresca, of Guardiola; it is bearing fruit, it is incredible.”
Guardiola’s biggest achievement in English football may still be yet to come, as the legendary coach has a tough battle on his hands this season in trying to win the Premier League title back from Liverpool.
The Man City boss has rebuilt his squad over the last few months, and this presents a new challenge for the 54-year-old, as he prepares for this last stint as manager of the Manchester club.
Two more years of Pep Guardiola at Man City
Guardiola signed a new contract at Man City last year, which keeps the legendary coach at the Etihad Stadium until 2027.
In a recent interview with GQ, the Spaniard stated that this will be his last year with the Premier League giants, with the 54-year-old planning to take a break from football once the 2026/27 campaign has concluded.
“I know that after this stage with City I’m going to stop, that’s for sure. It’s decided, more than decided,” Guardiola said. “I don’t know how long I’ll stop for — a year, two years, three years, five, ten, 15, I don’t know. But I will leave after this spell with City because I need to stop and focus on myself, on my body.”
The Man City boss will hope to have more titles in the bag by the time 2027 comes around, and with his legacy already set in stone, these trophies will put the Spanish coach further away from future competition when it comes to the honour of being called the greatest manager of all time.
