Manchester City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, recently stirred speculation about a sudden retirement in 2024, contingent upon his team clinching back-to-back triumphs in the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League. Despite being contracted until 2025, Guardiola asserted in a Prime Video interview that if City secures a second consecutive treble, he would retire without hesitation. The announcement, made prior to a Premier League loss to Aston Villa, left the football community in uncertainty, as it remains unclear whether Guardiola’s statement should be interpreted seriously or as a jest. The rarity of English football teams achieving trebles heightens the intrigue, with only a few instances in history.
In the preceding season, Manchester City achieved an impressive feat by clinching the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League—a feat previously accomplished in English football only by Manchester United in 1998/99. Guardiola himself had previously secured a treble with Barcelona in his inaugural season as a head coach. While other teams have accomplished similar feats, the prospect of achieving back-to-back trebles in England or elsewhere is uncharted territory.
The challenge is amplified by City’s pursuit of a fourth consecutive league title, an unprecedented accomplishment in their 135-year history. Despite recent struggles in the league, including three wins in their last nine games and a four-game winless streak following the loss to Aston Villa, Guardiola’s promise to retire appears increasingly uncertain.
City’s defense of the FA Cup is yet to commence, with a third-round match against Huddersfield Town scheduled for the upcoming month. In the Champions League, their flawless group stage performance positions them favorably for the round of 16. Guardiola, facing the formidable task of fulfilling his retirement pledge amid heightened competitive demands, may find that his commitment is harder to keep than initially anticipated.
