Guardiola Eyes National Team Job

Pep Guardiola has said he wants to manage a national team at a major tournament before he retires from coaching.

Guardiola has a contract at Manchester City until 2025 and has not ruled out signing an extension.

He has previously been linked to roles with Brazil, England and the United States and said he would like to take charge at a major tournament — the World Cup, European Championship or Copa America — before the end of his career.

Asked by ESPN Brasil what was left for him to achieve, Guardiola said: “A national team. I would like to train a national team for a World Cup or a European Championship. I would like that.”

Asked whether he had a preference of which country he manages, the 53-year-old said: “I don’t know who would want me! To work for a national team they have to want you, just like a club.”

Guardiola has already had a glittering coaching career, winning titles in Spain, Germany and England and lifting the Champions League three times.

Spells in charge of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City have seen him win 32 major trophies but he said he has not set himself a target of adding the World Cup, Euros or Copa América.

“I never thought about it like that [with the goal to win a world Cup],” he said.

“When I started in this I never thought about winning a league title or winning the Champions League. No. I thought, I have a job? OK.

“I would like to have the experience of living through a World Cup, or a Euro or a Copa América, or whatever it is. I would like that.

“I don’t know when that would be, if that is five, 10, 15 years from now but I would like to have the experience of being a manager in a World Cup.”