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Join on Telegram Rabat – Pep Guardiola has expressed his deep sadness over the humanitarian catastrophes unfolding in the Gaza Strip.
The Manchester City manager set aside football to shed light on the devastating war in Gaza during a ceremony at the University of Manchester, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate.
The war “hurts my whole body,” he told the audience, urging the world to “take care of your neighbour.”
“It’s not about ideology. It’s not about who is right or wrong,” the 54-year-old football star told the audience. “It’s about loving life.”
Guardiola’s remarks came as he was recognized for both his on-field achievements after winning six Premier League titles with City and his off-field work through the Guardiola Sala Foundation. The foundation supports a range of causes, from youth homelessness in the UK to healthcare access in Catalonia.
The coach, long outspoken on social and political issues, including Catalonia’s independence, said the images of young victims in Gaza reminded him of his children and made it impossible to stay silent. Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians since October 7
“Maybe we think it’s none of our business to see four- or five-year-old boys and girls killed by a bomb in a hospital that is no longer a hospital. Well, it’s okay, think as you like. [Maybe you believe] this does not concern us. But beware, those who are coming may be ours [children]. Four or five children will be ours.” Guardilla said
He added, “I apologize, but I see my children, Maria, Marius, and Valentina when every morning, since the nightmare began, I see the children of Gaza, and I am very scared.” Guardiola showed no hesitation in expressing his political views and has been a vocal supporter of Catalonia’s independence campaign from Spain.
Guardiola is the latest high-profile figure in world football to condemn the tragic situation in Gaza amid Israel’s relentless war. Last October, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah released a video plea to “world leaders” to stop the “massacres of innocent souls” after an Israeli airstrike on a Gaza hospital.
In Germany, Mainz terminated Dutch winger Anwar El Ghazi’s contract over social-media posts that criticized Israeli aggression on Gaza, a saga that eventually saw the player move to Cardiff City.
Their interventions reflect a growing trend: footballers and coaches, once counselled to “stick to sport,” now regularly address geopolitical crises, especially when civilian casualties dominate headlines. Guardiola’s decision to anchor his acceptance speech in Gaza’s suffering reinforces that trend.
The Spanish coach painted a graphic picture of children killed or destroyed hospitals. He warned that ignoring distant tragedies risks them landing “on our doorstep one day,” he concluded.
