England bowed out of the FIFA World Cup in a 2-1 loss against Argentina. However, the European team finished in third place after a thrilling encounter with the France national team. Despite this achievement, the Pep Guardiola England manager rumours aren’t far-fetched.
Recall that Thomas Tuchel was appointed as England head coach on October 16, 2024, although he kick-started his journey as a coach around January 1, 2025.
It appears, however, that England nationals aren’t satisfied with his appointment, considering the result England finished with at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and they may seek to have Pep Guardiola England manager links come to fruition.
Pep Guardiola England Manager Links: Is it a Probability?
There’s no doubt Pep Guardiola is not tied down to any contract, as his affiliation with Manchester City as a coach was brought to an end last season.
However, the fact that Tuchel failed to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup doesn’t transcend to him being replaced. Tuchel has a contract that sees him stay as England head coach until the Euro 2028 tournament.
And despite losing out, the English Football Association (FA) fully support the German’s stint as England head coach. This comes after Tuchel extended his stay as head coach back in early 2026. So, Pep Guardiola England manager talks may not turn into a reality any time soon.
However, if Tuchel were to leave, possible names were rumoured to have been shortlisted. This includes the likes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, current England women’s head coach Sarina Wiegman, and Guardiola.
Before Tuchel became England head coach, the FA casually contacted Solskjaer, although the deal wasn’t finalised as there was no formal meeting with the Norwegian. It follows claims that Solskjaer’s appointment as England’s head coach never materialised.
For Wiegman, she is believed to know her ropes when it comes to tournaments. The 56-year-old took the England women’s team to a World Cup final, won the Women’s Finalissima on April 6, 2023, and won her second UEFA Women’s Euro with England on July 27, 2025.
Perhaps the FA may tilt towards her direction in the coming years. This should only come to fruition if Tuchel fails to make a difference with the national team.
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Italian Managerial Bid Rejected – Is Pep Eying Another Job?
Pep Guardiola England links are not the only ones that have been flying around since the Spaniard left Man City.
A few days ago in Barcelona, Pablo Maldini and Leonardo (Maldini’s football advisor) met with Guardiola over a move as coach of the Italian Men’s National Team. The contact came during the World Cup final weekend, with Maldini informing Guardiola that his intention for the latter is beyond becoming a manager and coach of the Italian football squad.
The ex-Milan defender let the Spaniard know that they [the governing body of the Italian national football team] intend to shape the future of the country’s football with him [Pep Guardiola].
However, Guardiola gave the proposal some thought but humbly rejected it. He remarked that he is more interested in spending his sabbatical leave with his family and having a great personal time, as he hasn’t done much of that in recent years.
The Catalan fancies spending time completely out of football, given the fact he had 10 years at Manchester City and is now replaced by Enzo Maresca.
In his words, Guardiola informed Maldini and the Italian football board:
“I’m grateful for the recognition. I feel honoured. But right now, I don’t think I’m fit to manage a team. When I want to coach a team, I do it 100%… I would like to give my all”.
Amongst the names as an alternative to Pep Guardiola include Carlo Ancelotti, Andrea Pirlo, Roberto Mancini, and Antonio Conte. However, Ancelotti is still tied down as Brazilian head coach.
It can, therefore, be concluded that Pep Guardiola England and Italy head coach talks becoming a reality aren’t on course. It is still hopeful, however, that the ex-Bayern Munich manager will return to coaching soon.
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