International
Seven realistic destinations for Pep Guardiola after Manchester City
Guardiola’s next move could be Spain, PSG, Italy, England, Mexico, UAE or a sabbatical. Longer break
Pep Guardiola’s decision to leave Manchester City after a decade will force a recalculation across the game. His time at the Etihad has seen City dominate English soccer; the club later became the first in England to win four league titles in a row, and Guardiola’s 2022–23 treble matched Manchester United’s 1998–99 success.
This season, widely reported to be his last before City appoint former assistant coach and ex-Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, Guardiola has already delivered a domestic cup double. It could become a domestic treble if they can snatch the Premier League title from Arsenal.
Guardiola has previously spoken of a desire to manage a national team. “In our lives we have dreams of what we’d like to do in the future, but it doesn’t mean it’s going to happen,” Guardiola said at the time. “I would like to play a World Cup and a European Championship. I would like to live that situation. When I see the World Cup, I think I would like to be there. I had just one chance to do it as a player [in 1994]. In eight, 12, 14 years maybe it could happen. It’s just a dream I have as a manager and a person. Maybe it happens, maybe it doesn’t.” He was more cautious in 2024: “What I’m not going to do is leave Manchester City and go to another country. I wouldn’t have the energy to do so.” When asked specifically about Spain eight years ago he said he thought it was “not going to happen,” so that option remains uncertain.
Club and national options line up differently. Paris Saint-Germain could be possible if Luis Enrique moves on; Enrique has ended PSG’s Champions League hoodoo and Guardiola would have the chance to become the first manager to win the European Cup with three clubs, having already won it with two alongside Enrique, Jupp Heynckes, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Ernst Happel, José Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti.
Spain would be the most obvious national role given his playing history of 47 caps and captaining Spain to Olympic gold in 1992. Italy presents another attractive project after missing a third straight World Cup in 2026; Guardiola also played for Brescia and Roma. England is plausible in the longer term while Thomas Tuchel’s contract runs to after Euro 2028. Mexico, where El Tri have endured seven round-of-16 exits in the last eight tournaments and have not reached a quarterfinal in 40 years, is another option; Javier Aguirre is currently in his third spell. The United Arab Emirates could offer a developmental brief: the country has not reached a World Cup since 1990 and missed chances to qualify for 2026 against Qatar and Iraq.
Finally, Guardiola has shown he values time away from the game. When burnt out at Barcelona he took a year-long sabbatical living on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and said he loved having a relatively normal life away from Europe’s spotlight.
Arsenal
Tuchel’s England Midfield: Surprises, Omissions and the Case for Selected Creators
Tuchel’s World Cup midfield choices split opinion, notable omissions and intriguing inclusions. 2026
Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad announcement has prompted sharp debate over England’s midfield composition. The depth of options is clear, but several high-profile omissions and a handful of trusted inclusions have defined the list.
Cole Palmer is the absence attracting most attention. Once considered a near-certain pick for North America, an injury-hit start to the 2025–26 campaign interrupted his rhythm. He never fully recovered amid the chaos at Stamford Bridge and has been brutally axed by ex-Blues boss Tuchel.
Nottingham Forest talisman Morgan Gibbs-White was also left out despite a remarkable goalscoring campaign; the 26-year-old appeared to have hit form at the perfect time. Manchester City’s Phil Foden is another notable absentee. Deeper in midfield, Adam Wharton’s omission surprised many after another fine season at Crystal Palace. Strong campaigns from Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Everton’s James Garner likewise went unrewarded.
Conor Gallagher and Curtis Jones, who have featured in previous squads, were judged not convincing enough this time. James Maddison never stood a chance after missing almost the entirety of the term through injury.
Jordan Henderson’s selection has drawn widespread ire. The 35-year-old is not even a guaranteed starter for Brentford, yet Tuchel has included him for his off-field character and leadership. “He’s unlikely to see too much game time, but he’s a valuable presence in the dressing room.” Whether that presence justifies a place is open to debate.
Among those who did make the cut, Kobbie Mainoo’s technical ability and progressive ball-carrying mark him out as a valuable midfield option after his Euro 2024 breakthrough. Ruben Amorim’s handling of the Manchester United youngster briefly threatened his place, but Michael Carrick’s subsequent reinvigoration returned him to consideration.
Eberechi Eze, typically deployed on the left wing for England but by trade an attacking midfielder, and Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, a powerful and direct attacking option, offer distinct profiles. Elliot Anderson’s early England impact suggested he can bridge defence and attack, providing the kind of transitional mettle England may need at a major tournament.
International
Klopp: Florian Wirtz Can Be a World Cup Standout After Testing Liverpool Campaign
Klopp predicts Florian Wirtz can be a World Cup standout after a testing first season at Liverpool..
Jurgen Klopp has publicly backed Florian Wirtz to emerge as one of the standout players at the 2026 World Cup after a testing first season at Liverpool. Wirtz struggled to settle in a new league and country and endured intense scrutiny, including being branded a “little boy” by Gary Neville after a heavy defeat to Manchester City. Still, he is not viewed as the club’s poorest summer signing of 2025; that label has been reserved for Isak.
The Germany international finished the season with 17 goals and assists across all competitions for the Reds. Klopp believes the experience will serve Wirtz well and that the player can hit a higher level with Germany this summer. Wirtz started throughout qualifying, primarily on the left wing, and recently scored twice and assisted twice in a friendly victory over Switzerland.
“I hope Flo Wirtz will have a fantastic, fantastic World Cup,” Klopp told BBC Sport. “I think he has everything you need to be a standout player. I don’t want to put any pressure on the boy. I really think he showed already how good he can be in a difficult season.”
German supporters will hope Wirtz can lift his game as the four-time champions look to recover from the shock group-stage eliminations of 2018 and 2022. Liverpool are likely to supply a significant contingent to the tournament in North America: the club could have 12 players called up, including Wirtz. Squad numbers were reduced by injury and selection issues; Hugo Ekitiké is ruled out until 2027 with an Achilles injury and Curtis Jones is unlikely to be selected by England.
Klopp reflected on the personal connections that many former Liverpool players will bring to the competition. “I hope that Andy Robertson and Alisson Becker can enjoy that when they meet each other [for Scotland vs. Brazil]. Can you imagine that you play together for such a long time and Scotland qualifies first time, I don’t know since when, for the World Cup, and you meet each other, your friends, in a game like that? I mean, that must be one of the happiest moments in your life.
“I wish Virgil [van Dijk] will have a great tournament. I really wish for Mo [Salah] that he will have a great tournament. I honestly wish that Sadio [Mané] will have a great tournament. [Alexis Mac Allister], if he won, if they win it again. It was so nice to see him with a medal around his neck.
“So many [of my] former players are part of the World Cup, which is really, really nice.”
Those former Liverpool players named in connection with the tournament include Alisson Becker (Brazil), Wataru Endo (Japan), Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands), Cody Gakpo (Netherlands), Jeremie Frimpong (Netherlands), Ryan Gravenberch (Netherlands), Ibrahima Konaté (France), Florian Wirtz (Germany), Alexander Isak (Sweden), Alexis Mac Allister (Argentina) and Mohamed Salah (Egypt).
AC Milan
World Cup fitness worries: 14 key internationals racing to recover
Major internationals face late fitness tests ahead of June 11 start; hamstrings, fractures headline.
The run-up to the 2026 World Cup is shaping as much around rehabilitation as selection. Across Europe several of the game’s most influential internationals are carrying injuries that have already curtailed club seasons or left their participation in doubt.
Lamine Yamal’s hamstring problem has ruled him out for the remainder of the season with Barcelona, though the club have insisted he should feature at the World Cup. Estêvão and Arda Güler have also suffered hamstring injuries and been ruled out for the rest of their club campaigns at Chelsea and Real Madrid respectively. Reports say Güler is still set to appear at his first World Cup.
Some long-serving figures have been struck down too. Luka Modrić suffered a fractured cheekbone in AC Milan’s match with Juventus and will miss the rest of the Serie A season. Cristian Romero suffered a season-ending knee injury in Roberto De Zerbi’s first game in charge of Tottenham and was in tears at the time; his availability for the tournament remains unclear.
Mohamed Salah’s club season ended with an unflattering final touch for Liverpool, and his previous World Cup involvement in Russia was affected by fitness concerns after a dislocated shoulder in the Champions League final. Éder Militão has again gone down with a hamstring issue and has been ruled out for the rest of the club season alongside Güler, with recent reports suggesting his injury may be worse than first feared.
Mikel Merino has been absent since undergoing surgery on a fractured foot in January but is expected to be considered by Spain. Dejan Kulusevski is still working his way back after nearly a year out and admitted: “I haven’t played in a year. I know what the chances are,” and added, “But if there is one person on the planet who can do this, I would bet on myself. And we are not just going there to participate. Sweden will aim to be one of the best.”
Other concerns include Matthijs de Ligt, sidelined since November with a back problem but back on the grass at Carrington, Reece James with a fresh hamstring setback, Mohammed Kudus whose comeback was ended by a new quad issue and Joško Gvardiol after a broken leg in the new year. For all of them the coming weeks will determine whether they travel in June.
