Kompany Credits Guardiola for Inspiring His Coaching Career

Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany has praised former mentor Pep Guardiola for shaping his managerial mindset, saying the Manchester City legend made him believe he could become a coach.

Kompany spoke in Berlin ahead of Bayern’s German Cup final clash with Stuttgart, reflecting on his time as Manchester City captain under Guardiola, who confirmed on Friday that he is set to leave the club.

He described working with the Spaniard as “a gift” and said his confidence as a coach today stems from those years under Guardiola’s leadership.

“I have my own personality and my own character, but the trust and belief that I could become a coach: for that, I owe gratitude to Pep,” Kompany said.

“And that is just how great his influence is.

“I maybe wasn’t his best friend in the dressing room, or maybe I wasn’t always loved, but I had an incredible belief in his style of leadership.”

Guardiola’s spell at Manchester City brought six Premier League titles and a Champions League triumph, cementing his status as one of football’s most successful managers.

Kompany, who captained City during their 2018 and 2019 title-winning seasons, has since moved into management himself, taking charge of Bayern Munich in 2024 and winning consecutive Bundesliga titles.

Looking ahead, he said Guardiola’s impact is often reduced to tactics, but insisted his influence was rooted in mentality and ambition.

“Far too much is said about tactics or technique or whatever else. For him, it simply came down to that absolute desire to win everything – no matter what it was,” Kompany said.

He added: “I know that I owe this hunger to become a coach to those years I spent with him.”

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