“Michael Jordan is my Idol”: Pep Guardiola Pays Respect to MJ While Joking About Julia Roberts Watching Man United

Despite being a contemporary of Michael Jordan, Pep Guardiola would idolize the Chicago Bulls legend, as the Man City manager revealed recently.

Pep became a first-team player for FC Barcelona under Totaalvoetball pioneer Johan Cruyff in 1990. Around this time, Jordan had universally been recognized as the most dominant basketball player – possibly ever.

Guardiola’s Barcelona won their first European Cup trophy in 1992 – the same year that the city played host to the Olympics. Jordan had won 2 championships by that point and was the face of the Dream Team.

While Guardiola’s playing career marked him out as a world-class player, it pales in front of MJ’s. Jordan was the kind of player who transcended his sport in popularity during his heyday.

However, their fortunes off the court see the tables being turned. Guardiola is the greatest manager in world football post-Sir Alex Ferguson, while MJ’s front office and ownership tenures have been decidedly, objectively bad.

Also Read – “I used to talk to his life-size poster in my bedroom”: Manu Ginobili talks Michael Jordan upon being enshrined into the 2022 Hall of Fame

Nevertheless, Jordan’s drive to win is a quality admired by everyone in sports. Guardiola definitely sees it that way, judging from a recent interview snippet.

Pep Guardiola mentions Michael Jordan as his idol while joking about Julia Roberts

The Mancunians mauled RB Leipzig 7-0 in the home leg of their Champions League Round of 16 fixture. Erling Haaland became the first Premier League player to score 5 goals in a single Champions League game.

Pep Guardiola was understandably in really great spirits in the post-match presser. The 52-year-old gaffer was quick to congratulate Haaland, who’s having a record-breaking first season in English football.

He did have one small complaint about life – one that brought the journalists in attendance a good deal of laughter. Guardiola spoke about feeling spurned by famous Hollywood actress Julia Roberts while naming his idols:

“Even if we win the Champions League 3 times in a row, I’ll be a failure. I’m going to tell you something. I have 3 idols in my life – Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Julia Roberts.”

“For obvious reasons, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods are no good, as is Julia Roberts. So Julia Roberts came to Manchester a few years back. Not in 1990 when Sir Alex won all those titles and titles and titles.”

“She came in the period when we were good – when we were better than United for 4 or 5 years.”

Also Read – “It looked like Michael Jordan was glowing!”: 6′ Allen Iverson’s heartfelt tribute to Bulls idol in his Hall of Fame induction speech

This is not the first time Guardiola has cited MJ

Man City was on course to win the treble in the 2020-21 EPL season when Guardiola found it fit to cite Michael Jordan’s greatness in a Champions League presser in order to motivate his players for their semifinal clash with PSG:

“Michael Jordan never went to the media and said my manager and agent, and criticise. He won the NBA titles. Show it. The big ones are there. The only way I know in my career. Knowing that I’m here to support them all the time…”

City made it past PSG in the semis. However, they were defeated by Chelsea in the Champions League final, with Guardiola’s tactics coming in for severe criticism.