Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said he is “so scared” by the “painful” war in Gaza as he delivered an emotional speech.
It is 20 months since Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to the unprecedented Hamas-led cross-border attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
At least 54,880 people have been killed in Gaza since, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Guardiola, 54, was speaking as he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester on Monday.
“It’s so painful what we see in Gaza. It hurts my whole body,” said Guardiola in clips of his speech shared on social media.
“Let me be clear, it’s not about ideology. It’s not about whether I’m right, or you’re wrong. It’s just about the love of life, about the care of your neighbour.
“Maybe we think that we see the boys and girls of four years old being killed by the bomb or being killed at the hospital because it’s not a hospital anymore. It’s not our business.
“We can think about that. It’s not our business. But be careful. The next one will be ours. The next four- or five-year-old kids will be ours. Sorry, but I see my kids, Maria, Marius and Valentina. When I see every morning since the nightmare started the infants in Gaza, and I’m so scared.”
Guardiola has never been afraid of airing his political views, having frequently spoken of his support for pro-Catalan independence.
In 2018, he was fined £20,000 by the Football Association for “wearing a political message” pitchside – a yellow ribbon to support imprisoned politicians in his native Catalonia, having previously being warned he was in breach of regulations.
The year before, he joined thousands of protesters in Barcelona calling for independence in the region.
Guardiola was awarded the honorary degree for his success with City – having won 18 trophies in his nine years at the club – as well as the work of his family foundation, the Guardiola Sala Foundation, which “strives to support the most disadvantaged” in society.
“Maybe this image feels far away from where we are living now, and you might ask what we can do,” said Guardiola, who added he was also “deeply troubled” by the wars in Sudan and Ukraine.
“There is a story I’m reminded of. A forest is on fire. All the animals live terrified, helpless. But a small bird flies back and forth to the sea, carrying drops of water in its little beak.
“A snake laughs, and asks: ‘Why bro? You will never put the fire out.’ The bird replies: ‘Yes, I know.’ ‘Then why do you do it again and again?’, the snake asks once again. ‘I’m just doing my part,’ the bird replies for the last time.
“The bird knows it won’t stop the fire, but it refused to do nothing.
“In a world that often tells us we are too small to make a difference, that story reminds me the power of one is not about the scale, it’s about choice, about showing up, about refusing to be silent or still when it matters most.”
Others within football have previously spoken out about the Israel-Gaza war.
In October 2023, Liverpool and Egypt forward Mohamed Salah called on “world leaders to come together to prevent further slaughter of innocent souls”.
In the same month, Dutch winger Anwar El Ghazi had his contract at Mainz terminated for a perceived pro-Palestine post he made on social media.
Last year, El Ghazi – now at Cardiff City – pledged 500,000 euros of his pay-off from Mainz to “fund projects for the children in Gaza”.
The Football Association was criticised for not lighting up Wembley Stadium’s arch in response to the Israel-Gaza conflict for England’s friendly with Australia in October 2023.
