Patrice Evra says Pep Guardiola has “killed the game”

November 11, 2025 Oliver Obel

Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has claimed that Pep Guardiola’s tactical influence has made modern football too rigid and stripped it of creativity.

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast Vibe with FIVE, Evra said that while he respects Guardiola’s success, the Manchester City manager’s style has turned players into “robots” and encouraged coaches to prioritise structure over instinct.

“I think Guardiola is one of the best managers,” Evra said. “But he killed the game. Now we’ve got robots… we have no creativity, no geniuses anymore.”

Evra argued that Guardiola’s success has led academies and managers worldwide to copy his possession-based “tiki-taka” approach, leaving less room for players with natural flair like Ronaldinho or Eden Hazard. “

All football comes from the street,” he added, lamenting what he sees as the loss of freedom and spontaneity in young players’ development.

Watch the full conversation on Rio Ferdinand’s Vibe with FIVE podcast here

A Critique of Football’s Evolution

Evra’s remarks reflect his concern that Guardiola’s success has inspired coaches worldwide to prioritise structure over spontaneity. His comments suggest that modern football academies now value tactical precision and possession play above individual flair — a stark contrast to the street football style that produced entertainers such as Ronaldinho and Eden Hazard.

Guardiola’s teams are known for their intricate passing style, often referred to as “tiki-taka,” a method originally developed during his time at Barcelona. The approach has brought him immense success, including six Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy with Manchester City.

Guardiola’s Enduring Success

Despite Evra’s critique, Guardiola’s track record remains among the most impressive in modern football. Since moving into management, the former Barcelona captain has lifted major domestic titles in Spain, Germany, and England, earning praise for reshaping tactical standards across Europe.

Supporters argue that far from killing creativity, Guardiola has redefined it — fostering technically gifted, intelligent players capable of interpreting space and tempo in new ways. Figures like Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, and Phil Foden are often cited as examples of artistry within his structured system.

A Wider Debate About Modern Coaching

Evra’s comments reignite a broader discussion within football about whether tactical evolution has come at the expense of individual brilliance. As data-driven decision-making and positional systems dominate elite football, critics fear that instinctive play and risk-taking are slowly disappearing from the sport’s identity.

Still, Guardiola’s success suggests that his formula of control and precision remains one of the most effective in world football — even if not everyone agrees with the aesthetic cost.

Sources: Rio Ferdinand’s “Vibe with FIVE” podcast, SPORTbible, Reuters, BBC Sport.