Manchester City officially confirmed on Tuesday that Pep Guardiola will leave the club at the end of the season, bringing to a close one of the most successful managerial eras in modern football.
Since arriving at City in 2016, Guardiola – who will manage his final match against Aston Villa this weekend – transformed the club into one of football’s dominant modern teams, leaving behind a legacy of 20 major trophies, tactical innovation and sustained domestic and European success.
During his10-year reign, Guardiola won six Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League, three FA Cups, five League Cups, one FIFA Club World Cup, one UEFA Super Cup and three FA Community Shields.
Yet while Guardiola’s City era was often defined by stars from Europe and South America, African players also left their imprint on one of football’s greatest modern teams.
Across Guardiola’s decade in charge, six African internationals made competitive senior appearances for City, while several others with African roots emerged through the club’s academy system. Some became title winners. Others played smaller but symbolic roles in the club’s evolution. Together, they reflected the growing influence of African talent at the highest level of world football.
Yaya Touré — The Veteran Who Bridged Two Eras
Already regarded as a Manchester City legend before Guardiola arrived, Touré became the bridge between City’s old era and Guardiola’s football revolution. Between 2016 and 2018, the Ivorian midfielder made 48 appearances under the Spaniard before leaving the club. Though his role gradually diminished amid tactical changes and competition for places, his leadership and experience remained important during Guardiola’s early rebuilding years.
Kelechi Iheanacho — Guardiola’s Early Nigerian Prospect
The Nigerian striker featured during Guardiola’s debut 2016/17 season at Manchester City. Iheanacho made 29 appearances and scored seven goals before moving to Leicester City in 2017. Mostly used as an impact substitute, he showed flashes of sharp finishing ability and intelligent movement during a transitional season for the club.
Riyad Mahrez — The African Star Who Defined Guardiola’s Peak Years
Signed from Leicester City in 2018, Mahrez evolved into Guardiola’s most successful and most utilised African player at Manchester City. Over five seasons, the Algerian winger made 236 appearances and scored 78 goals, helping City win four Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League before departing in 2023. Mahrez flourished inside Guardiola’s tactical system through his creativity, technical control and decisive goals in major matches, becoming one of Africa’s most decorated footballers in Premier League history.
Omar Marmoush — Egypt’s New Face in Guardiola’s Final Era
Egyptian forward Marmoush joined Manchester City from Eintracht Frankfurt in January 2025 and quickly integrated into Guardiola’s first-team setup. Though competing for places in City’s attack, he notably led the frontline in several important domestic fixtures during the 2025/26 season, representing part of the new generation of African attackers used during Guardiola’s final years at City.
Rayan Aït-Nouri — Guardiola’s Tactical Left-Sided Option
Arriving from Wolves ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, Aït-Nouri became an important tactical option on the left flank during Guardiola’s final season. The Algerian defender added versatility and attacking width to City’s fluid playing system.
Antoine Semenyo — The Ghanaian Who Made History with City
Semenyo joined Manchester City from Bournemouth in January 2026 for £62.5 million, becoming the first Ghanaian player to represent the club. The forward immediately delivered one of the defining moments of Guardiola’s farewell season by scoring a dramatic late backheel winner against Chelsea in the 2026 FA Cup final.
The Almost Players: Africans Who Never Broke Through Under Pep
Wilfried Bony — The Striker Who Never Featured Under Pep
Although Bony remained a Manchester City player when Guardiola arrived in 2016, the Ivorian forward never made a competitive appearance under the Spaniard. Guardiola excluded him from his plans almost immediately, with Bony sent out on loan to Stoke City before later leaving permanently. His situation reflected the major squad rebuild Guardiola undertook during his early years at Manchester City.
Issa Kaboré — The Talent Who Never Broke Through
Burkina Faso international Kaboré officially joined Manchester City in 2020 but never made a senior competitive appearance under Guardiola. Instead, he spent multiple seasons on loan across Europe, featuring for clubs including Mechelen, Marseille, Luton Town, Benfica and Werder Bremen. His case reflected the fierce competition within Guardiola’s squad despite City’s growing interest in African talent.
Extra mention: Kolo Touré — From City Defender to Guardiola’s Coaching Staff
Although Kolo Touré never played under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, the former Ivorian defender remained connected to the club during Guardiola’s later years. Touré played for Manchester City between 2009 and 2013, three years before Guardiola’s arrival in 2016, and later returned to join the Spaniard’s backroom staff as a first-team assistant coach in 2025.
Several academy talents with African heritage, including Tosin Adarabioyo, Cole Palmer and teenage prospect Divine Mukasa, also played under Guardiola.
From Touré’s leadership to Mahrez’s brilliance and Semenyo’s breakthrough, African players helped shape an era that transformed Guardiola’s Manchester City into a global football powerhouse.
