Pep Guardiola is leaving Manchester City after a decade, six Premier League titles and the Champions League trophy that defined an era at the Etihad.

But, apparently, he is not walking into another job straight away.

City confirmed that he will take an ambassador and technical adviser role with the City Football Group, the parent company that owns City alongside clubs across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia.

Enzo Maresca, his former assistant, steps into the hot seat.

Why Pep Walked Away from City

Guardiola did not leave because the work dried up. He left because, in his own words, it was simply his time.

Ten years, twenty trophies, more games than any manager in the club's history, and a 2023 treble that nothing in England has matched since.

His City contract ran until 2027, so this was a decision rather than a sacking. The club had been quietly planning for the day, reshaping its football operations behind the scenes long before the exit went public.

Maresca, who coached under Guardiola during that treble season, was lined up almost immediately.

What Pep did not do was retire. He is 55, he still wants to coach, and the City Football Group role is a holding pattern while he works out what comes next. That decision is exactly what the market is betting on.

So Where Does Pep Guardiola Go Next?

The first thing to accept is that there is no rush. The ambassador job keeps him in football, advising across the group's clubs, while he takes a genuine breather after a decade of relentless pressure. Nobody close to him is pushing for a quick return.

The strong lean is towards international management.

He has won practically everything at club level, and a national-team post carries fewer matches, less daily grind, and the one prize missing from his cabinet, a World Cup or a major international title.

The 2026 World Cup in North America is the natural marker, because plenty of national-team seats could shake loose once it wraps up. If you are interested in FIFA World Cup betting odds, the tournament will be a pivotal moment for several managerial futures.

There is also a fair chance he genuinely does not know yet, which is part of why this market sits so wide open.

England Is The Front-Runner

The England job is the one the bookies keep circling back to, and it is easy to see why.

Ten years in the Premier League gave Guardiola an intimate read on the English talent base, the media and the club politics that make or break an international manager. For those looking to understand the competition he dominated, our Premier League betting guide breaks down the key angles.

He would walk in knowing the players, the agents and the system better than almost anyone available.

The catch is Thomas Tuchel, who signed an extension running through to Euro 2028 and will lead England at the World Cup. That seat is not vacant.

A poor tournament could shift the conversation fast, and if Tuchel sees out his deal, Guardiola fits the profile of the next man in after a sabbatical. He is the shortest price for a reason, but it all hinges on someone else's results.

The National-Team Contenders

Beyond England, a cluster of international jobs could open up around the World Cup. Most come with a catch of their own.

Italy

Italy is a mess at the top, which is precisely what makes it interesting.

Gennaro Gattuso resigned in April after the Azzurri missed a third straight World Cup, and the federation president and delegation chief walked out with him.

The vacancy is real. The problem for Guardiola is tradition, because Italy has effectively never handed the national team to a non-Italian, and homegrown heavyweights like Antonio Conte, Massimiliano Allegri and Roberto Mancini sit ahead of him in the queue. For punters interested in Italian football, our Serie A betting guide covers the domestic scene.

Brazil

The Brazil link is a non-starter for now. Carlo Ancelotti signed an extension through the 2030 World Cup, so the seat is taken unless the Selecao bomb in North America and the federation tears the deal up.

Throw in the old history of City being deemed untouchable when Brazil came calling years ago, and this one needs everything to fall the wrong way first.

Argentina

Argentina is the romantic outsider. Lionel Scaloni is not guaranteed to stay on past the World Cup, with talk of burnout never fully going away.

If he steps down, Pep's links through Lionel Messi are obvious. The snag is Javier Mascherano, a former Guardiola player and a ready-made successor the federation may simply prefer.

USA

The USA job is live because Mauricio Pochettino is widely expected to move on after the home World Cup, whatever the result.

US Soccer has shown it will pay for a marquee name, Guardiola spent a sabbatical year in New York and is comfortable in the States, and the next wave of American talent is genuinely exciting.

It would take real convincing, but they landed Pochettino, so it is hardly fantasy.

Spain

Spain looks natural on paper and hits a wall in practice.

Guardiola is a vocal supporter of Catalan independence, a charged issue that turns the national-team appointment into a political minefield.

Luis de la Fuente has also done well, so there is no obvious vacancy to fill. File this one under unlikely.

The Club Returns

If Guardiola does fancy a return to club football, the obvious doors are mostly bolted shut.

Barcelona

A Barcelona return is the fans' dream and almost certainly not happening soon.

Hansi Flick just extended through 2028 after back-to-back La Liga titles, and he has called this his last coaching job.

Pep, for his part, has previously said never again. A boardroom or sporting role is the realistic version of this one, not a seat in the dugout.

Bayern Munich

Bayern carries unfinished business, since Guardiola won three Bundesliga titles in Bavaria but never the Champions League there.

The obstacle is Vincent Kompany, his former captain, who is doing a strong job in the role. No vacancy means no move, unless that picture changes.

Girona

Girona is the passion-project wildcard. The club sits under the City Football Group umbrella, Pep's brother Pere is the chairman, and taking it would let him answer the tired line that he has never managed a smaller side head on.

The salary would be a fraction of what he is used to, which is exactly why it stays a long shot.

When Will Guardiola Actually Decide?

The realistic answer is not before the 2026 World Cup. The ambassador role buys him time, the international seats that suit him best are tied to the tournament, and there is no financial or professional pressure forcing his hand.

That makes this a market for the patient rather than the reactive.

England leads on Guardiola's Premier League pedigree, the national-team jobs will firm up or fade depending on how the World Cup unfolds, and the romantic club returns need a door to open that is currently locked.

Watch the tournament closely. A federation sacking, a Scaloni resignation or a Tuchel flop is the kind of trigger that moves this market overnight, and Guardiola remains the name every big job calls first.