Soccer legend Pep Guardiola reiterated his support for Palestinian children in Gaza at a concert in Barcelona on Thursday night.
The Manchester City manager addressed a crowd at the Palau Sant Jordi sports arena in his hometown of Barcelona during the ‘Act X Palestine’ benefit concert.
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The Catalan coach, known for his outspoken stance on human rights, took to the stage in front of the crowd. Clad in the traditional black and white, Guardiola opened his speech with Good evening, followed by the traditional Islamic greeting “Aslamualikum”, meaning “peace be upon you”.
Guardiola spoke out in support of children who lost their parents during the war, referring to images of children in Gaza that have dominated social media over the past two years, according to a report in the Telegraph.
“I think we left them alone, abandoned”
“I think what we think when I see a child in the last two years with these pictures on social media, on TV, being recorded and begging ‘where is my mother?’ among the wreckage and he doesn’t know it yet.’ he said in a speech.
Guardiola called for an end to “decades of oppression” and condemned the silence of global leaders in the speech, international media reported.
“I think we left them alone, abandoned. I always think they have to say, ‘Where are you? Come help us’.” And so far, even now, we haven’t.”
“Cowards are mighty”
The 55-year-old criticized world powers, calling those in leadership “cowards” who send innocent civilians into conflict while remaining safe in their own homes.
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“Cowards are powerful because they send innocent people to kill innocent people … while they are at home with the heater when it’s cold and the air conditioner when it’s hot,” he said.
“This is all just about humanity,” he said after his three-minute speech to a standing ovation.
“Which is all that is not happening in Palestine.
In his speech on Thursday, Guardiola reportedly drew parallels between the current situation in Palestine and Barcelona’s own history, specifically referring to the 1938 bombings of the city during the Spanish Civil War.
“X-act Palestine”
Organized by a coalition of human rights groups and Catalan cultural organizations, the “Act X Palestine” event was designed to raise funds for humanitarian aid and cultural reconstruction in Palestine.
The concert featured a diverse lineup of artists, including Bad Gyal, Lluís Llach, and Palestinian singers Zeyne and Lina Makoul. Proceeds from the night go to support cultural centers throughout Palestine through the Palestinian Performing Arts Network (PPAN).
Guardiola ended his speech with a message of hope, urging the audience to let the music inspire “a better society”.
Guardiola was a loud voice for Gaza and Palestine. In October 2025, he called on people to “pressure governments to take immediate action” on the Gaza conflict. He expressed his support for a pro-Gaza demonstration in the streets of his hometown, Barcelona, planned for October 4.
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In June 2025, after receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester, he said: “It is so painful what we are seeing in Gaza. It hurts my whole body.”
A video of him expressing his support for pro-Palestinian protests across Europe has already garnered more than 7 million views on X (formerly Twitter).
Trump’s Peace Council
Guardiola’s support for Palestine comes at a critical moment in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza.
The City manager appeared in Barcelona after Israel signaled it was ready to acknowledge that 70,000 people had been killed in the Gaza war. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officials first reported the estimated number of casualties to several Israeli news outlets. The number is almost identical to the 71,667 reported by the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.
President Donald Trump’s latest attempt to bypass the United Nations through his new peace council appears to have inadvertently failed after major world powers rejected American aspirations for a greater international mandate beyond the Gaza ceasefire and recommitted to supporting the more than 80-year-old global institution, the Associated Press reported.
The board, which Trump will chair, was originally intended to be a small group of world leaders overseeing his plan for the future of Gaza. But President Trump’s ambitions have extended to envisioning the council as a mediator of global conflicts, the news agency said in a Jan. 30 report.
The board’s charter also caused some consternation by declaring that it would be led by President Trump until he steps down, with veto power over its actions and membership.
Who is Pep Guardiola?
I think we left them alone, abandoned.
Josep ‘Pep’ Guardiola Sala is a Catalan professional football manager and former player who has been the manager of Premier League club Manchester City since 2016.
Read also | What awaits Pep Guardiola after the Manchester City treble?
Guardiola is one of only two managers in history to win the continental treble twice, and holds the record for most league games won in La Liga, the Bundesliga and the Premier League. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time.
Guardiola is expected back in Manchester today ahead of his side’s trip to Tottenham on Sunday.
Key things
- Guardiola highlights the plight of Palestinian children and the need for global humanitarian support.
- He criticizes world leaders for their inaction in resolving the Gaza crisis.
- The goal of the concert was to raise funds for humanitarian aid and cultural reconstruction in Palestine.
