Pep Guardiola’s incredible success with Manchester City has further solidified his status as one of the greatest managers of all time – the Catalan tactician has led the club to 18 major titles, including six Premier Leagues, two FA Cups, and a Champions League in 2023.
Guardiola also oversaw an unprecedented feat with City in 2024, winning the English league title for the fourth time in a row, taking the club’s total tally to 10 – the fourth-best record in the country, only behind Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal.
However, when once asked to name the best Premier League manager in history, Guardiola refused to name himself and instead praised a 13-time English champion, calling him ‘the best all around the world’.
Pep Guardiola Praises Sir Alex Ferguson
Ferguson
Guardiola, as quoted by Express in 2024, named former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson as the best manager in history and said it is an ‘incredible honour’ to be considered close to him on the list of the greatest coaches ever:
“In this country and all around the world, Sir Alex Ferguson is the best. For the time, for the change of teams, for the trophies.
“Being close to one of the most important managers of all time is more than enough. It's an incredible honour for me and for all the staff, all the assistants and all the players I've had. It's not just an honour for me.
“When people say 'Pep is one of the best' that's because of the players I had, the assistant managers and the assistant coaches - and we have had many.
“All of them create this sense that we are good - and that is enough. I don't fight for anything else.”
One-of-a-kind tactician, Ferguson is the most decorated manager of all time, having won a staggering 38 trophies during his almost 40-year career on the sidelines.
The Scotsman oversaw the most dominant era in Man United’s history, leading them to 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League trophies, five FA Cups, and numerous other domestic and continental honours.
During his time at Old Trafford, Ferguson not only transformed United into a dominant force in English and European football but also nurtured a generation of footballing talent, including Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Wayne Rooney.
Ferguson’s most successful season came in 1999, when he led the Red Devils to the treble, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
To this day, the only English team to replicate Man United’s 1999 success is their noisy neighbours Manchester City, whom Guardiola led to the treble in 2022/23 by winning their first-ever Champions League title.