Michael Jordan carried the last trophy on stage. Noel Gallagher conducted the final interview. Twenty pieces of silverware, accumulated over nine years of unprecedented dominance, lined the platform at Co-Op Live as Pep Guardiola said goodbye to Manchester City for the final time. The event on May 25, 2026, was part trophy parade, part rock concert, and part wake for the most successful managerial reign in English football history.
Thousands of Manchester City fans lined the streets from the city center to the Etihad Stadium, then packed into Co-Op Live for the farewell celebration. Guardiola announced his departure in April, but nothing prepared the club or its supporters for the emotional weight of the actual goodbye.
Thousands Line the Streets of Manchester
The day began with a parade through the streets of Manchester. Open-top buses carried this season's men's, women's, and academy teams from the city center to the Etihad Stadium, where thousands of fans had gathered to welcome them. The route was lined with supporters from early afternoon, many wearing Guardiola's face on their shirts or holding homemade banners.
All three teams were celebrating trophy victories from the 2025-26 season. The men's team had won the FA Cup, beating Chelsea 2-1 in the final with Antoine Semenyo's late winner. The women's team had completed a domestic double. The academy had won their respective league title. For a club that started the season with questions about whether Guardiola's era was ending with a whimper, the send-off was emphatic.
The parade was Guardiola's idea. He wanted the fans to celebrate the players, not just him. But as the buses made their way through the city, it became clear that this was as much about the manager as any trophy.
Twenty Trophies Carried on Stage
The most striking image of the night was the trophy display. Guardiola's three children, along with former captain Fernandinho, former sporting director Txiki Begiristain, and departed goalkeeper Ederson, helped carry all 20 trophies won during the Guardiola era onto the stage.
The collection was staggering in its breadth. Six Premier League titles stood in a row, including the 100-point season trophy from 2017-18. Two Champions League trophies, one from the treble-winning 2022-23 campaign, flanked the centerpiece. Three FA Cups, five EFL Cups, and the remaining pieces of silverware from Community Shields, Club World Cups, and UEFA Super Cups completed the display.
Each trophy was placed on a dedicated podium under the stage lights. The visual was designed to be overwhelming, and it was. Guardiola stood in front of the collection for several minutes before speaking, visibly moved by the scale of what he and his teams had achieved.
Ten Premier League seasons. Six titles. A 60% win rate. The most goals scored, the fewest conceded, the most points accumulated, the longest winning streak, the highest single-season points total. The numbers define the most dominant period any single club has enjoyed in English football history.
Michael Jordan, Noel Gallagher and Surprise Appearances
The guest list reflected Guardiola's status as a global sports figure, not just a football manager.
Michael Jordan, the basketball icon with whom Guardiola has developed a friendship over the years, was the headline attendee. Jordan's appearance was kept secret until he walked on stage, drawing a roar from the crowd that briefly interrupted the program. Jordan presented Guardiola with a signed Chicago Bulls jersey, which Guardiola held up to the crowd.
Noel Gallagher, the Oasis frontman and lifelong Manchester City supporter, conducted the farewell interview with Guardiola on stage. The pairing was fitting. Gallagher has been a constant presence at City matches during the Guardiola era and has interviewed the manager several times over the years. Their on-stage chemistry was genuine, mixing humor with the gravity of the moment.
The surprise appearances kept coming. Vincent Kompany, who left City in 2019 and now manages Bayern Munich, flew in for the event. The former captain received a standing ovation when he walked on stage. Jack Grealish, who spent this season on loan at Everton, was also in attendance and was loudly cheered by the crowd.
Guardiola's Goodbye: 'Always in My Heart'
Guardiola's speech was brief by his standards but heavy with emotion. Speaking to Gallagher on stage, he addressed the crowd directly.
"First of all, thank you so much for coming tonight to say bye," Guardiola said. "I feel tonight that really shows the connection this club has. Khaldoon Al Mubarak and all the people and all the City fans that were connected from the first minute."
"Thank you so much, I don't have enough gratitude. Always, for the rest of my life, I will have you in my heart."
Guardiola paused several times during the speech. He has never been comfortable with public displays of emotion, but the setting, the crowd, and the weight of two decades of work clearly affected him. When he finished, the crowd chanted his name for several minutes.
The tone was different from the typical Guardiola press conference. There were no tactical explanations, no criticisms of the schedule, no deflections. Just a man who had given nine years of his life to a club and a city, acknowledging that the relationship had meant as much to him as it had to the supporters.
Farewell to Bernardo Silva and John Stones
Guardiola was not the only one saying goodbye. Captain Bernardo Silva and defender John Stones will also leave the club this summer upon the expiry of their contracts, and both received tributes during the event.
Bernardo Silva joined City from Monaco in 2017 and became the heartbeat of Guardiola's midfield. His technical quality, work rate, and leadership made him indispensable during the most successful period in the club's history. He was named club captain following Kevin De Bruyne's injury troubles and led the team with distinction in his final season.
Bernardo's departure marks the end of the core group that delivered the Champions League and the treble. Along with De Bruyne, who is entering the final year of his deal, the players who defined the Guardiola era are moving on.
John Stones, the center-back who reinvented himself as a midfielder under Guardiola and became one of the most versatile defenders in world football, is also departing. Injuries limited his contributions in the final two seasons, but his peak years under Guardiola were extraordinary. The inverted fullback role that Guardiola created for Stones changed how coaches think about defensive positioning.
Haaland's Tribute to Teammates and Coach
Erling Haaland, who will remain at City under new manager Enzo Maresca, paid tribute to the departing trio on stage. The Norwegian striker has been the focal point of City's attack since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, scoring 97 Premier League goals in three seasons.
"It has been a pleasure to play with Bernardo and John, and of course Pep," Haaland said. "We won a lot of trophies and I was happy to play with Bernardo and John because they are amazing footballers but even better people deep down."
"It has been an amazing journey, but we need to keep pushing and fighting even without them."
Haaland's words reflected the mood of the evening: celebratory but tinged with the understanding that something irreplaceable was ending. The players who remain, including Haaland, Phil Foden, and the next generation of City talent, will carry the burden of maintaining the standards that Guardiola set.
The Legacy: What Guardiola Leaves Behind
The farewell party was a celebration, but it was also a threshold. Guardiola leaves Manchester City as the most successful manager in the club's history and arguably the most influential manager in the history of the Premier League. His tactical innovations, from the inverted fullback to the false nine to the positional play system that every academy in the country now tries to replicate, have permanently changed English football.
The challenge for Enzo Maresca is not to match Guardiola's trophy haul. That would be impossible. The challenge is to maintain the playing identity while refreshing a squad that has several key players entering the final phases of their careers. Kevin De Bruyne is 34 and injury-prone. The defense needs rebuilding. The midfield that once controlled every match now looks vulnerable against high-pressing opponents.
Maresca inherits a club in transition, not a club at its peak. The farewell party was a celebration of the past. The hard work of building the future begins now.
For one night, though, Manchester allowed itself to look backward. Twenty trophies on stage. Michael Jordan in the audience. Noel Gallagher asking the questions. And Pep Guardiola, standing in front of all of it, saying the simplest and most honest thing he could: thank you.
FAQ
When was Pep Guardiola's Manchester City farewell party?
Guardiola's farewell celebration took place on Monday, May 25, 2026, at Co-Op Live in Manchester. The event followed a parade through the city streets to the Etihad Stadium, where thousands of fans gathered to say goodbye to the departing manager after nine seasons.
How many trophies did Guardiola win at Manchester City?
Guardiola won 20 trophies during his nine-year tenure at Manchester City: six Premier League titles, two Champions League titles, three FA Cups, and five EFL Cups, plus additional domestic and international honors. All 20 trophies were brought on stage during the farewell event.
Which celebrities attended Guardiola's farewell party?
Basketball legend Michael Jordan was the headline guest at Guardiola's farewell party. Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher interviewed Guardiola on stage. Former City captain Vincent Kompany, who now manages Bayern Munich, made a surprise appearance. Jack Grealish, on loan at Everton, also attended.
Who else is leaving Manchester City this summer?
Alongside Guardiola, captain Bernardo Silva and defender John Stones are leaving Manchester City upon the expiry of their contracts in summer 2026. Tributes were paid to both players during the farewell event.
Who is replacing Pep Guardiola at Manchester City?
Enzo Maresca has been appointed as Guardiola's successor at Manchester City. The former Chelsea and Leicester manager previously worked under Guardiola as an assistant coach at City and shares a similar possession-based football philosophy.
Sources
- BBC Sport: "Michael Jordan leads star names at Pep Guardiola's Man City leaving party" (May 25, 2026)
- Manchester City official: Guardiola farewell event coverage (May 25, 2026)
- API-Football: Manchester City 2025-26 season statistics
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