In 1992, Pep Guardiola captained an exciting Spain team to a very memorable Olympic gold in front of 95,000 fans at Camp Nou. Guardiola, who was categorised as a selected U23 player for the event, was crowned Spain’s best player in the competition as the hosts triumphed on home soil at the Games.
In an interview recently, he talked about his love for the Olympics and some special memories.
Pep Guardiola has spoken to TNT Sports about his cherished memories of the 1992 Olympic Games and his passion for what is his “favourite event” in sport.With 100 days to go until the start of Paris 2024 – discovery+ is the streaming home of the Olympic Games, and the only place you can watch every moment of the action this summer – the Manchester City manager discussed his admiration for Olympians, his fascination with watching their “incredible talents”, and the inspiration that comes from observing the high-stakes drama the event serves up.
Guardiola knows very well the pressure that comes for Olympians competing at the Games, particularly as he was part of the gold medal-winning Spain team that triumphed in Barcelona in 1992 in front of expectant fans inside Camp Nou as the host nation. It was only the third time – and the first in 72 years – that a host nation had clinched gold in the event as Spain beat Poland 3-2 in the final.
The 53-year-old has a deep appreciation for the Olympics, and he shared the respect he has for all the competitors across the different sports due to everything they sacrifice for what are relatively fleeting opportunities that must be grasped.
“I really like the Olympic Games – it is my favourite event, like the Ryder Cup,” Guardiola told TNT Sports after an extended conversation about his City side.
“I like especially the 100m and athletics. I like them all, but for example, swimming and gymnastics. There are a lot of sports that you are not used to seeing regularly, normally in the year.
“You see the people and how incredible the talents they have are in every single sport. That is why it is so fascinating, the Olympic Games.
“It is my favourite part of being there and being involved or watching on the TV – for every discipline, it doesn’t matter. For each one, it is fascinating to see the incredible talents and athletes they are in every single sport, and how they fight for four years or eight years or more for a specific moment.
“They all spend hours and hours for like two minutes of action. It is unbelievable, the pressure that they have and how they are. I love all of the sports.”
Asked if he found inspiration in watching the Games, he responded emphatically: “Absolutely. Paris is coming and we are going to watch it.”
Like many Olympians, Guardiola and his Spain team-mates did not actually have a fixed base at the athletes’ village due to the nature of the round-robin event for football with venues spread across the country. But despite this, he was still able to enjoy and recognise the unique atmosphere of an Olympic Games.
Asked if he had a particular favourite memory, he said: “All of them! In Barcelona in 1992, I was involved. I remember that Steffi Graf was there, a lot of incredible athletes.
“We could not be in the village with the other athletes. I would have liked to have been there and shared in the Olympic spirit, but unfortunately, we were out of the village in another part of Spain.
“But in the end, it was incredible, and we were lucky to win the gold medal and to have those memories that will always be part of us.
“The opening ceremony was incredible and the closing one, being there with all the other athletes. That was really, really, really cool. It was a really nice experience – a big one.”
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