Pep Guardiola once invoked sporting legends Jack Nicklaus and Michael Jordan to explain why even the greatest athletes and teams don't always win the biggest trophies, a defence prompted by criticism of his Champions League record with Manchester City .
The City boss used their careers to illustrate how losses are a part of elite sport, even for the best, ahead of a crucial European tie that many had flagged as another missed opportunity for silverware.
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Guardiola was responding to critics who pointed to Manchester City's struggles in Europe despite domestic dominance.
"How many Masters has Jack Nicklaus played or how many majors has he played in his career? In 30 or 40 years as a golfer? In 30 or 40 years as a golfer of four majors [a year], like in the Champions League. How many wins? 18 wins. Wow. He loses more than he wins. That is sport," he said, via ESPN.
He continued with another iconic figure: "In football, in golf, in basketball; Michael Jordan, the best athlete for me in basketball, won six NBA titles out of 15 [seasons]. He loses more than he wins. This game, all games, are so difficult."
At the time, Guardiola's comments referenced how even legends endure more losses than triumphs statistically, using those examples to contextualise Manchester City's then-lack of a Champions League trophy despite consistent elite performances.
Despite those earlier struggles and the narrative that he couldn't deliver Europe's biggest club prize, Guardiola eventually guided Manchester City to their first-ever UEFA Champions League title in June 2023.
City beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the final at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, with Rodri scoring the decisive goal and sealing a historic treble for the club.
The 2023 triumph was City's first UEFA Champions League trophy in the club's history, and it completed one of the most successful seasons in English football, with Manchester City also winning the Premier League and FA Cup that year.
Guardiola's persistence and ability to evolve his team's approach ultimately silenced many of the early European doubters.
While Guardiola's analogy to Nicklaus and Jordan still resonates, even the greats lose more than they win, his eventual success in Europe shows that persistence, evolution, and belief can close the gap between criticism and achievement in elite sport.
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