Pep Guardiola’s final years at Manchester City, including his fallout with captain Kyle Walker and the impact of his divorce, have been revealed in a new Amazon Prime documentary charting the manager’s final years at the club.

The documentary shows Guardiola fighting back tears, questioning whether his time at City was over and confronting his players during a difficult period that ultimately preceded his departure after a decade in charge.

One of the most striking moments, according to GB News on Tuesday, centred on Walker’s decision to leave City for AC Milan on loan in January 2025 after telling Guardiola he wanted a fresh challenge.

Ahead of a home match against Chelsea, Guardiola expressed his disappointment over the defender’s departure and questioned Walker’s conduct as captain.

He said, “So sad, what happened with Kyle.

“It was so easy for him to come to me [and say] ‘I’m tired’. But you cannot behave as a captain the way he has done it. You cannot, in the toughest moments in our lives.

“What did you do my friends? What did you do with your captain? Tell me, what did you do?”

The documentary also captures a tense exchange between the pair after City’s defeat by Liverpool in December 2024.

Walker had lost possession to Luis Diaz before the Liverpool forward subsequently won a penalty, prompting Guardiola to criticise the defender inside the dressing room.

“Kyle has to know that if you lose the ball it’s a goal,” Guardiola furiously said.

An irritated Walker responded: “Every meeting, it’s my name.”

Guardiola replied: “Maybe because you’re a captain.”

Walker then said: “OK. You didn’t want me to be your captain.”

The confrontation came during a difficult period for Guardiola, who had seen City lose four consecutive matches for the first time in his managerial career.

Although Guardiola had signed a contract extension in November 2024, the documentary reveals that he came close to leaving the club.

Guardiola recalls telling City “maybe it’s over”, while chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak described the situation as a genuine concern.

“You know the boy that cried wolf? He is the boy that cried wolf.

“I always convince him, but last year, I knew, this time he actually saw the wolf,” Al Mubarak said

Guardiola was also dealing with the breakdown of his marriage during City’s difficult 2024-25 campaign.

His long-time colleague Manel Estiarte said players became concerned about the manager’s emotional state.

“They were worried because Pep was anxious,” Estiarte said.

“He was sad. He was different. And only I knew the reason.

“And I said to the team, ‘please, you have to understand, you’re not playing with a coach who can be a bit impulsive, who can be a bit intense, who can be sometimes up and down. You’re seeing a human being. He’s getting a divorce’,” he added.

The pressure also featured in Guardiola’s dressing-room talks.

After a defeat by Bayer Leverkusen in November 2025, he told his players: “I work for you and I leave my life, my divorce and my family is away and everything for all of you. And what do you give back?

“The performance you have done, all of you. It’s a disgrace guys.

“When I see that, I am exhausted, I’m drained, I want to quit. When you play like this, I feel alone.”

The documentary also covers other departures during City’s rebuilding process, including Kevin De Bruyne’s exit after a decade at the club. Guardiola admitted the decision “kills me”.

PUNCH Online reports that Guardiola eventually stepped down after 10 years at City, having won 20 trophies during his spell, with the FA Cup and League Cup providing the final honours of his tenure.

Source: punchng.com

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FIFA has parted ways with its Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Lamour, less than three weeks after he publicly criticised President Gianni Infantino over an abandoned plan to sell a stake in a company that would manage the commercial and ticketing rights of FIFA competitions.

FIFA confirmed on Monday that its working relationship with Lamour had ended, according to BBC Sport, which reported that the decision came after his criticism of the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative.

A FIFA spokesperson said, “The working relationship between FIFA and Kevin Lamour as Chief Operating Officer has ended on 17 August 2026,” adding that the governing body thanked him for his two years of service.

Lamour had described the FFE proposal as “the project of one person” and claimed FIFA’s administration had been “deceived” about the initiative.

He also criticised Infantino’s leadership, saying, “A president must bring people together, unite them, and inspire them. Today, we are experiencing the opposite.”

The proposed FFE company was abandoned after plans to sell 21 per cent of it to private investment firms attracted opposition from several football bodies.

UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation opposed the proposal, while UEFA reportedly threatened to boycott the World Cup if the plan went ahead.

The controversy has also affected Infantino’s bid for a fourth term as FIFA president, with UEFA and Concacaf withdrawing their support for his re-election.

The Scottish Football Association also withdrew its backing for Infantino on Monday, joining England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

However, the confederations representing Africa, South America and Oceania have continued to support Infantino.

Source: punchng.com

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Former Super Eagles captain, Augustine Okocha, has recalled how a famous solo goal against ex-Bayern Munich goalkeeper, Oliver Kahn, transformed his career while he was still at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Okocha said the goal, which saw him dribble past Kahn before finding the net, was the moment he first gained recognition outside Germany.

Speaking on the Obi-Wan podcast on Monday, Okocha, fondly called JJ, said Kahn was in one of his best seasons at the time, shortly before his move to Bayern Munich.

He said the viral moment, which predated social media, still got wide television coverage across Europe and remains one of the defining highlights of his career.

“It was Oliver Kahn, and he was having his best season,” Okocha said.

He added, “That goal changed my life. That was when I gained recognition outside Germany.”

The goal was replayed across European television at the time, despite predating the social media era.

Okocha explained that he held onto the ball longer than he intended before shooting, insisting he was not trying to embarrass Kahn but was searching for the right opening to score.

He said his then Frankfurt manager later joked that his starting place at the club depended on that goal going in.

“I didn’t mean to hold onto it that long. Whenever I want to shoot, I see somebody in front, so I was just trying to find the right moment to shoot.

“The saving grace was it did go in, because even the manager told me, had he been there, I didn’t score that goal, as long as he remains manager of this team, you will never play again,” he said.

Okocha said he has since met Kahn but has never discussed the goal with him, joking that the German’s stern demeanour makes it a difficult conversation to start.

“I’ve met him, but you don’t want to discuss that. He’s a big lad, and he never smiles,” Okocha said

Okocha made his name at Eintracht Frankfurt after starting his European career at a lower-tier German club, before further stints at Fenerbahçe, PSG and Bolton Wanderers cemented his reputation as one of Africa’s most gifted attacking midfielders.

Source: punchng.com

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