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The 8 best Pep Guardiola proteges: Where are they now?

The proteges of Pep Guardiola: most successful coaches to work under Pep
The protégés of Pep Guardiola: most successful coaches to work under Pep

Pep Guardiola has a long list of assistant coaches and former players who have gone on to achieve success as managers themselves.

Guardiola, 53, has won four Premier League titles in consecutive years, and is heralded as the most influential manager in modern times with his constant tactical innovations pushing the boundaries of football.

His heavy possession-based style, his thirst for control, and his meticulous coaching details have revolutionised the game.

His coaching techniques and practices are so profound that many who played or worked under him have gone on to become successful football coaches in their own right.

We take a look at the best protégés of Pep Guardiola, ranking their successes and telling how the former Barcelona midfielder-turned-manager influenced their management careers.

8. Thierry Henry

Coaching roles: Head Coach at Monaco, Montreal Impact; Assistant Coach for Belgium

Thierry Henry, a key player under Guardiola at Barcelona, has struggled to assert himself as a successful coach. His tenure at Monaco was short-lived, with the club facing the threat of relegation from Ligue 1, leading to his dismissal after less than 100 days.

In MLS, his time with Montreal Impact was also underwhelming, with the Frenchman failing to implement the philosophies of Pep Guardiola. Despite these challenges, Henry has thrived as a pundit on CBS Sports' popular Champions League show.

7. Javier Mascherano

Coaching roles: Coach of Argentina U20

Javier Mascherano began his coaching career with Argentina's U20 team, leading them in the U20 World Cup. Despite high expectations, Nigeria knocked Argentina out in the last 16. His coaching journey is still in its early stages, showing potential for future success.

Guardiola signed Mascherano for Barcelona, converting him into a centre-back. The decision to play Mascherano at centre-back was initially heavily scrutinised by the media and pundits, with height and physicality questioned. Whilst Mascherano admitted that he never enjoyed playing as a centre-back, the results of this risky experiment paved the way for the modern ball-playing centre-back to be born.

Pep's goal with playing Mascherano as a centre-back was to allow Barcelona to play out from the back, drawing the opposition further away from their goal, and allowing more space for Barcelona's players to exploit. A tactical innovation which is now commonplace in football across all levels.

6. Enzo Maresca

Coaching roles: Assistant Coach at Manchester City; Head Coach at Leicester City; Head Coach at Chelsea

In August 2020, Maresca was hired by Manchester City to manage their Elite Development Squad, where he successfully led the team to a Premier League 2 title.

After his triumph with Manchester City's development squad, Maresca was appointed head coach of Parma on 27 May 2021. Despite managing a team with notable players like Gianluigi Buffon and Franco Vázquez, he struggled to secure promotion, leading to his dismissal in November 2021.

In June 2022, Maresca returned to Manchester City as an assistant to Pep Guardiola, replacing Juanma Lillo, who moved to manage Al-Sadd.

On 16 June 2023, Enzo Maresca took on a new challenge as the manager of Leicester City, guiding the recently relegated club to immediate success in the Championship, achieving promotion to the Premier League in his first season. Maresca's outstanding performance earned him multiple EFL Championship Manager of the Month awards throughout the season.

Enzo Maresca's tactics have been heavily influenced by the mentorship of Pep Guardiola and his close friendship with Roberto De Zerbi as contributing factors to his managerial style and football philosophy of high-pressing, possession-based football which relies heavily on positional play – a philosophy pioneered by Johan Cruyff who was the most influential figure in Guardiola's life, along with Sir Bobby Robson.

Maresca is now the head coach of Chelsea, and is set to go head-to-head with his mentor Pep Guardiola next season.

5. Erik ten Hag

Coaching roles: Head Coach of Bayern Munich II, Utrecht, Ajax & Manchester United

Ten Hag worked alongside Guardiola at Bayern Munich, earning the nickname 'Mini Pep'. When Ten Hag was leading training for FC Bayern II, he and Pep would often be seen conversing and sharing ideas about the club's tactical direction. Ten Hag would go on to lead Ajax to impressive Champions League runs and domestic success before joining rivals of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, Manchester United.

4. Vincent Kompany

Coaching roles: Head Coach at Anderlecht, Burnley

Kompany, a City legend, captained Guardiola's team to multiple Premier League titles. He transitioned into coaching with Anderlecht before taking over at Burnley. Under his guidance, Burnley secured promotion to the Premier League, showcasing a new, attractive style of play. Guardiola has tipped Kompany as a future City manager, despite his disappointing inaugural season managing in the Premier League which ultimately ended in relegation.

Kompany is now in line to join Pep Guardiola's former side Bayern Munich as their next manager, which is a huge vote of confidence in the former centre-back's footballing vision.

3. Xavi Hernandez

Coaching roles: Al-Sadd & Barcelona

Xavi, Guardiola's midfield general at Barcelona, began his coaching career in Qatar with Al-Sadd. Returning to Barcelona as head coach, Xavi led the team to their first LaLiga title in four years. Despite some European disappointments, he has restored Barcelona's style after the disappointing tenure of Ronald Koeman. Xavi Hernandez has a more simplified and less complicated system, compared to Guardiola's.

2. Mikel Arteta

Coaching roles: Assistant Coach at Manchester City; Head Coach at Arsenal

Arteta, who worked as Guardiola’s assistant at City, transformed Arsenal into Premier League contenders. Arteta's early life at Arsenal wasn't easy, with the phrase "trust the progress" becoming a catchphrase in the manager's earlier days. Arteta, like Guardiola, was bold in his decisions to sideline underperforming players like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Özil. Arteta has revitalised the Gunners, and despite losing the title to City in 2023/24, Arteta's progress has been impressive, making Arsenal a formidable force in the Premier League once more.

1. Xabi Alonso

Coaching roles: Head Coach of Real Sociedad B & Bayer Leverkusen

Xabi Alonso is the most successful Pep Guardiola protégé, having won the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, after a 51-game winning streak across all competitions. Alonso, a key player for Guardiola at Bayern Munich, began his coaching career with Real Sociedad B after being inspired by Pep's philosophies. Alonso is viewed as a potential future manager for his former clubs like Liverpool and Real Madrid, underscoring his rapid rise as a coach.

Pep Guardiola’s influence on his proteges is evident through their varied successes and challenges. Each coach, shaped by Guardiola’s philosophy and mentorship, has carved their own path in the footballing world, contributing to the game with their unique styles and approaches to management.

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