Pep Guardiola is not just a football manager. During his 10 years in charge of Manchester City, he won 20 trophies, but his legacy stretches much further. At 55, Guardiola has consistently used his position to call for a better society, from Palestine and Catalonia to the issue of homelessness in the United Kingdom.
Most recently, Guardiola spoke out forcefully about the plight of Palestinian children in Gaza amid a two-year war with Israel. The conflict began after the Hamas attack in October 2023, leaving at least 72,568 people dead, including many children. Hundreds of thousands still live in tents in dire conditions despite a ceasefire taking effect in October.
In January, Guardiola skipped a pre-match press conference to attend the charity event Act x Palestine in Barcelona. Wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf, he said: 'When I see a child over the past two years, on social media, on television, filming themselves and begging “Mama, where are you?” among the rubble, I think we have abandoned them.'
His comments have sparked controversy. The Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region wrote to Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, warning that Guardiola’s words could endanger Jewish lives. But Guardiola has not backed down, just as when the FA fined him £20,000 ($27,000) in 2018 for wearing a yellow ribbon in support of jailed politicians in his native Catalonia.
Beyond Palestinian children, Guardiola has spoken out about violence in the Middle East, Ukraine, Sudan, and the deaths of two people at the hands of ICE forces in the United States. In February, he said: 'When there is an idea and thousands of people have to be killed, sorry, I will stand up. Always, I will be there.'
However, the Jewish Council criticized Guardiola for not condemning a terrorist attack on a Manchester synagogue in October 2024 that left two people dead. They described this as 'galling' that he did not use his influence to show solidarity with the Jewish community.
Guardiola also cares about issues closer to home. His Guardiola Sala Foundation has for years sponsored the Salvation Army’s Partnership Cup, a five-a-side football tournament that highlights homelessness in England. 'It’s inspiring to see football bring people together and help them overcome personal challenges,' he said.
