By Amaechi Agbo
Arsenal manager and Premier League winner, Mikel Arteta has paid glowing tributes to departing Manchester City manager, Pep Guadiola, describing him as the best manager of all times
Guadiola will leave City after the season and Arteta who previously workers with him before he joined Arsenal in December 2019
Ahead of the final 2026 league matches on Sunday, Arteta who won his first major league trophy on Tuesday, expressed gratitude to Guadiola adding that his four years with him remained the best in his career.
“The first word that comes to mind is Guadiola… as Pep Guardiola has been an inspiration to me”, Mikel Arteta said
“I spent 4 years with him. Probably the 4 best years of my career, a completely new experience as an assistant coach”, he said
Arteta stated the Guadiola changed the league adding that facing him as an opponent was always a nightmare. He described him as the “best” manager of all time
“I think he changed the league, he changed the standards, the way people understand football”
“As an opponent, it has been… it has been a nightmare. Even today, he is still just as methodical and meticulous, and I knew we would have to achieve something very special to beat him”, Arteta told Canal Pkus.
“For me, he is the best manager of all time”
Pep Guardiola managed Manchester City from July 2016 until the conclusion of the 2025–26 season, cementing himself as the most successful manager in the club’s history. Over a transformative decade, he redefined English football with his tactical innovations and an unprecedented trophy haul.
He secured six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented streak of four consecutive championships from 2021 to 2024. The Centurions: Set the all-time top-flight record by accumulating 100 points in the 2017–18 season.
Guided City to the coveted European Treble (Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League) in the 2022–23 season, becoming the first manager to win a continental treble with two different clubs.
Guardiola’s 10-year tenure saw him record nearly 300 wins with a staggering win percentage consistently hovering around 73%. He continually evolved his squad’s tactics, introducing inverted full-backs, integrating true playmaking center-backs, and breaking the traditional mold of English football.
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