Pope praises Pep Guardiola for 'positive attitude in the face of defeat'

ENDORSEMENT from the Pope is quite possibly the height of success as a football trainer – even more so than leading the team you used to play for to 14 major titles in four years after netting it a UEFA Champions' League win and an Olympic gold in your former life as a midfielder – and the man regarded as one of Spain's and the world's best coaches in the history of the sport now has a new fan in the Vatican.

Pep Guardiola did not achieve the hoped-for success for Manchester City after it recently qualified for the first time for a Champions' League final – unlike in the 2018-2019 season, when he led the club to netting the 'quadruple crown' of FA Cup, Community Shield, Premier League and EFL Cup – but his public show of sportsmanship after losing against Chelsea got him a virtual pat on the back from Pope Francisco.

“Normally, when we come second, we're miserable, sad and, I wouldn't say we chuck the medal away, but we'd feel like doing so,” argues the Pontiff.

“And yet he kissed his medal.”

Whilst the Pope did not name Pep personally, it was clear to all those who heard him praise the 'anonymous' trainer's 'attitude in the face of defeat' that he was referring to the Catalunya-born manager kissing the silver medal awarded to Manchester City after losing the Champions' League final.

Pope Francisco was addressing the Italian Basketball Federation at its 100th anniversary event when he said: “I'd like to highlight the right attitude in the face of defeat. I've been told that, once – I don't know where – there was a winner and there was another who came second, who didn't achieve victory. And the one who came second kissed his medal.

“Like this, with dignity, with humanity, with a big heart, it's a true prize, a true human victory.

“This shows us that even in defeat, there can be victory; failure helps us understand that, in life, not everything is sweet, not everything is about being first.”

In many sports, coming second, earning the reserve championship title, or getting a silver medal is a massive triumph and something to celebrate, although in others – football being one – only an outright win is considered success.

For this reason, disgruntled Manchester United players were seen ripping off their silver medals after losing to Villarreal CF in the Europa League final a week ago.

Villarreal, a town of just under 51,000 inhabitants near the coast of the eastern province of Castellón – where an estimated 31 residents are of British nationality – is one of the smallest to 'own' a top-flight football team and so far the smallest to win a Europa League title, meaning euphoria among fans and local dwellers after beating Manchester United was huge.

For Pep, 50, winning, losing – and coming second – as a player and as manager is old hat; during his time on the pitch with FC Barcelona in the 1990s, on top of an Olympic gold on home turf in 1992, he won six League titles, two Copas del Rey, four Spain Supercups (Supercopas), a UEFA Champions' League, a Recopa de Europa and two UEFA Supercups, as well as playing in the 1994 World Cup and the 2000 UEFA Euro. 

His début with the Spanish national team was in October 1992 in a match against Northern Ireland – the first of 47 representing his country, for which he has scored five goals.

As trainer for Barça during the 'golden years' of the Spanish national team, Guardiola, from Sampedor (Barcelona province) helped the club to 14 titles, six of which were consecutive – the Copa del Rey, Spanish First Division title, the UEFA Champions' League, the Spanish Supercup, the European Supercup and the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup, making him the only manager to achieve six official titles in the same year.

The following year, Guardiola was awarded the Royal Order of Sporting Merit Gold Medal, the highest distinction in sports any individual can earn in Spain.

He led Bayern Munich to seven titles during his time there between July 2013 and June 2016 – a FIFA Club World Cup, a European Supercup, two German Cups and three Bundesliga titles.

Moving to Manchester City in September that year – where he has been ever since – Guardiola has so far helped the club to winning eight titles, including two Premier League championships in the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 seasons.

Guardiola's contract with Manchester City was renewed in November until 2023.