Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, has described former Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola as “the best coach in the history of football” ahead of Sunday’s Community Shield clash between Arsenal and Manchester City.
Arteta, who spent four years working as Guardiola’s assistant at City before becoming Arsenal manager, praised his former mentor during his pre-match press conference, highlighting the Spaniard’s impact on English football.
Guardiola ended his 10-year spell at Manchester City after transforming the club into one of the dominant forces in the Premier League.
Arteta admitted that words could not fully capture Guardiola’s achievements, while acknowledging the influence he has had on the league and its coaches.
“I’m probably going to fall short in the way I can praise what he’s done.
“First of all for the Premier League, for the country, the way he has opened a different way of understanding the game, and I think he has escalated the Premier League to a different level,” Arteta said.
The Arsenal boss also reflected on the high standards he witnessed while working under Guardiola at City.
“He has brought standards to something that we haven’t witnessed before; I was very lucky to be part of it for four years and to understand and witness how it’s done daily.
“It’s remarkable, it’s unique, and I’ve always said before that I think he’s the best coach in the history of football for many reasons,” he said.
According to Arteta, Guardiola’s achievements in different countries and competitions, combined with his consistency over a long period, make his record particularly remarkable.
“He’s done it in many different countries and leagues, but in a really consistent and sustainable way, which is the hardest thing to do,” Arteta said.
While admitting that Guardiola would be missed in the Premier League, Arteta joked about how difficult it had been for rival managers to compete against him.
“I think he’s going to be missed in the Premier League – I don’t know if as coaches we’ll miss him so much! It’s so difficult to play against him and to compete in the manner that he does with his teams.”
Arteta further credited Guardiola with raising the standards of other managers and teams across the league.
“He’s been a pleasure, and now it’s Enzo [Maresca], who is as good as him because I know him well. He’ll provide something different to the club and I wish him the best.”
Guardiola’s departure
Arteta said he was not aware that Guardiola had decided to leave City before the announcement, although he had sensed that such a possibility existed.
“100% not, but I had some feeling and some understanding that this could be,” he said.
“You could sense it in the last year that there could have been a situation of it happening, but with someone like him, he could wake up in the morning and be so excited about what he sees around him and carry on doing it – as he has done for 10 years, which nowadays is something just incredible.”
Winning the league
Arsenal’s Premier League triumph last season ended City’s recent dominance, with Arteta acknowledging the difficulty of competing against Guardiola’s side.
“It’s obviously one of the biggest challenges I have faced in my career, because I know the standards,” Arteta said.
“They had the backroom, the stability, the quality to go and do it again, so it’s been a real challenge.”
He added that Arsenal’s pursuit of the title was also driven by the club’s desire to improve in every area.
“As I said, I took it in a way that regardless of what happened, this would make us better and push boundaries time after time in every department of the club, to try and reach this level,” he said.
Recalling the gap between Arsenal and City when he first arrived at the Emirates, Arteta said his experience at City gave him a clear understanding of the work required to compete for the title.
“When I arrived here, I had a sense, in terms of distance and years, of how far we were behind, because I was there to witness the daily operation and the level to be able to win it.”
“To do it in the time that we’ve done it, I think we should feel proud.”
Arteta backs Maresca
With Guardiola leaving, former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is set to take charge of Manchester City.
Arteta expressed confidence in Maresca, saying the new City boss possesses the character and football knowledge needed to succeed.
“I don’t know the intricacies, but I know Enzo has the character and especially the knowledge to do an unbelievable job there,” Arteta said.
“That’s why he has been selected, because they can probably pick anybody, and they’ve gone for Enzo for the right reasons.”
“He has demonstrated at every level, when he’s gone to the Champions League, what he’s done at Chelsea and now at City. I’m sure he’ll do a great job.”
Arsenal will face Manchester City at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Sunday, with the Community Shield serving as the first major domestic trophy of the 2026/27 season.
