Pep Guardiola offered shock new job by Wimbledon star in Centre Court interview after he watched from Royal Box
PEP GUARDIOLA has been offered a shock new coaching job – in a different sport.
The Spaniard is one of football’s most successful managers, winning 38 trophies with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City combined.
However, he made the most of the off-season by taking his wife and daughter to Wimbledon on Saturday.
It was a jam-packed Royal Box with a host of sporting celebrities – including Ben Stokes, Chris Hoy, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Denise Lewis and Sachin Tendulkar.
And after watching Alexander Zverev beat Cameron Norrie on Centre Court, the German gave a shoutout to Guardiola during his on-court interview – before making the shock proposal to become his new coach.
Zverev, 27, said: “It’s an incredible honour to play on this beautiful Centre Court and to play in front of the Royal Box.
“We have had so many great guests. For me, a football legend Pep Guardiola.
“When I saw Pep, I got so nervous for a few games there. Thanks a lot for coming, it’s a great privilege, a great honour.
“By the way, last thing, Bayern Munich need a coach, man.
“And if you are tired of football, you can coach me on the tennis court anytime.”
A laughing Guardiola blew Zverev a kiss before waving and clapping the French Open runner-up.
The six-time Premier League winner is currently tied down at the Etihad for one more season while Vincent Kompany is the new Bayern boss – but could Guardiola be tempted with a shock switch to help Zverev?
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The lanky German – who joked he feels “like a cow on ice” when playing on grass after taking a nasty tumble and hurting his left knee – is yet to win a Grand Slam, losing both of his finals despite being one set away from victory.
Guardiola and Zverev met up behind the scenes at Wimbledon following Zverev’s third-round win, where they chatted and posed for photos before the German gave the ex-Bayern boss a signed racquet.
Guardiola was then spotted carrying the frame back into the posh seats.
But Pep and fellow Royal Box guests Roy Hodgson and Leah Williamson were forced to miss England’s Euro 2024 quarter-final with Switzerland due to strict Wimbledon protocols.
Tennis stars’ new careers
PLENTY of tennis stars have stayed involved in the sport since retiring.
But others pursued very different careers. Here are some of the best…
- I reached French Open and Wimbledon finals as a teenager but I quit to become a nun
- I won Wimbledon mixed doubles with my sister but got fed up with English weather so now run luxury B&B
- I was tipped for stardom aged 12 but retrained to become high-flying lawyer
- I earned £9m and won French Open before setting up bistro with Brazilian model girlfriend
- I’m last Frenchman to win Roland Garros, now I’m singer with six albums hitting No1 in charts
- I’m former world No1 but quit aged 29 – instead I went on to play professional poker and golf
- I was destined for the top but swapped lobs for labs as award-winning Harvard physicist
The legendary football managers and current Lionesses captain would no doubt have loved to see how the Three Lions got on in Dusseldorf.
Manchester City boss Guardiola had three of his Etihad stars start for Gareth Southgate – Phil Foden, Kyle Walker and John Stones – while Hodgson led his country 56 times between 2012 and 2016.
But Wimbledon have a strict ‘no football’ policy meaning guests cannot watch the Euros on site – even closing the blinds to the media centre to stop the public from catching any of the England game through the windows.
Instead, Guardiola, his wife and daughter took their seats back on Centre Court to watch Ons Jabeur against Elina Svitolina under the roof.