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Top soccer coach bemoans ‘child-killing massacres in Gaza’

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola described Gaza as a “live genocide” while encouraging anti-Israel protests.

By World Israel News Staff

One of the most respected soccer coaches in the world sharply criticized Israel in a recent radio interview, explosively claiming that children in the Gaza Strip are being killed simply for being born.

Pep Guardiola, the manager of the UK Premier League team Manchester City — one of the most lucrative franchises in international soccer — made the remarks during an interview with Spanish radio station RAC1 before a match between the Catalonian and Palestinian national teams.

“The world has abandoned Palestine. We have done absolutely nothing. They are not to blame for having been born there. We have all allowed an entire people to be destroyed,” Guardiola said on Tuesday, shortly before the match began.

“I can’t imagine anyone in this world who could defend the massacres in Gaza. Our children could be there and be killed simply for being born. I have very little faith in leaders. They’ll do anything to stay in power.”

Guardiola urged fans to attend the match to show solidarity with Gaza. “With this match, the Palestinians will see that there are parts of the world that think about them,” he added.

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This is not the first time Guardiola has used his massive influence to promote a pro-Palestinian narrative.

In October, Guardiola took to social media to encourage Spaniards to join anti-Israel demonstrations held throughout the country.

“We are witnessing a live genocide where thousands of children have already died and others may still die,” Guardiola claimed.

In June, while receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester, Guardiola said he was haunted by the deaths of Gazan children.

“It’s so painful what we see in Gaza. It hurts my whole body,” he said. “I see every morning since the nightmare started, the infants in Gaza, and I’m so scared,” he added.

Notably, Guardiola has not condemned the murder of Israeli children and babies who were slaughtered during the Hamas-led invasions on October 7.

The Spanish soccer coach has also not criticized Hamas, the terror group responsible for launching the attack that sparked the war, nor has he acknowledged the group’s long-standing policy of deliberately placing Gazan civilians — including children — in harm’s way to gain military advantage.