Sir Alex Ferguson welcomes Pep Guardiola into 1000 matches club
Sir Alex Ferguson has congratulated Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola ahead of his 1,000th match as a manager.
Guardiola will reach the landmark when Manchester City host Liverpool on Sunday 9 November, having led the club to six Premier League Titles and Champions League glory.
Speaking on behalf of the League Managers Association, former Manchester United manager Ferguson said: "Pep! I am absolutely delighted to welcome you to join the prestigious LMA Hall of Fame 1,000 Club.
"Your deep love and passion for the game has always been so evident and you should be very proud of the indelible impact you continue to have across the global game.
"Reaching 1,000 matches and achieving such longevity in football is a landmark that can never be underestimated and, to continue to deliver league, Champions League and domestic cup titles in three of Europe’s most competitive leagues is outstanding."
Guardiola, having won 715 of his 999 gamers so far, started his managerial career at Barcelona B before moving up to the main job, and he moved to Manchester City in 2016 after a spell at Bayern Munich.
He said: "I am so proud to be reaching 1,000 games as a manager which has always been a special ambition for me."
LMA chief executive Richard Bevan added: “Pep has dedicated his entire career to achieving excellence, driven by an unmatched will to win and a world-renowned style.
"His achievements and success in Spain, Germany, and England are unprecedented, and his influence continues to shape the game for future generations."
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta described Guardiola as "the most important person in my football career", served as Manchester City assistant for three-and-a-half years until he took over at Arsenal in 2019.
He said: "What a number, what a career, what an inspiration he’s been to everybody in football, I would say in sports as well and especially for me.
"It’s an incredible achievement, it goes in the history of the very best and the few that could only achieve something like that and again, as I said, I think it will remain in the history of football for the years to come."
He added: "Well, I would be extremely happy and proud if one day I’m able to do what he’s done in his career because, as you all know, he’s been probably the most important person in my football career.
"And I’m incredibly proud of him and what he’s done."