In July 2016, Pep Guardiola arrived at Manchester City as the club's new manager, and his choice of clothing extended beyond the small patch of grass he stood on. As the fashion plates of the Premier League at the time included Jose Mourinho in a quarter zip and mac at Manchester United and Arsene Wenger dapper in a suit and unzippable puffer jacket at Arsenal, Guardiola initially appeared less of a sartorial threat, dressed like an overgrown schoolboy in a V-neck, shirt, tie, and blazer.
Guardiola's Style Evolution
Ten years later, Guardiola is the undisputed champion of dugout style. He confirmed on Friday that he is leaving Manchester City after a decade in charge. He can be credited with relaxing the unwritten manager dress code, which had swung between wedding-worthy smart suits and club-issued tracksuits. Instead, he chose clothes that worked beyond the small patch of grass: blouson jackets, nice brogues, and three-quarter coats.
Rise of the Cardigan
By 2019, his style was a talking point, and he had a hand in making cardigans a trend for men. He wore a lucky grey knit worth 1,200 pounds 30 times in the season Manchester City won a domestic treble. Guardiola's loosening up continued with the addition of baseball boots by catwalk designer Rick Owens, combat-style trousers, and Stone Island jackets.
Behind the Style
In 2022, Guardiola credited his then-wife, Cristina Serra, for picking his outfits (the couple split in 2025). He told Sky Sports: Absolutely, ever since I met her, before I was a disaster, now I'm elegant, thanks to her. When he wore a slacker-style checked shirt by Swedish brand Our Legacy to a Champions League game in March, the look went viral across fashion and football timelines. Some speculated the influence of his Gen Z daughter, others suggested he had hired a stylist.
Current Style
Whatever the backstory, he has followed it up with elegant polo necks and pleated trousers that would not be out of place on the front row of menswear shows. Guardiola may be saying goodbye to the Premier League, but football always needs style champions to show managers and men life beyond the quarter zip.
