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Football legend Pep Guardiola once again voiced his support for Palestinian children in Gaza at a concert in Barcelona on Thursday evening.
The Manchester City manager addressed the gathering at the Palau Sant Jordi sporting arena in his birth city, Barcelona, during the ‘Act X Palestine’ benefit concert.
The Catalan coach, known for his outspoken stance on human rights, took to the stage before a crowd. Draped in a traditional black and white, Guardiola began his address with Good Evening, followed by the traditional Islamic greeting ‘Aslamualikum’, meaning 'peace be upon you.'
Guardiola spoke in support of children who had lost their parents during the war and referred 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 have left them alone, abandoned’
“I think what we think when I see a child in these past two years with these images on social media, on television, recording himself, pleading ‘where is my mother?’ among the rubble, and he still doesn’t know it,” he said in the 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 have left them alone, abandoned. I always think they must say, 'Where are you? Come help us.' And until now, even now, we have not done so."
‘The powerful are cowards’
The 55-year-old criticised world powers, labelling those in leadership as "cowards" who send innocent civilians into conflict while remaining safe in their own homes.
“The powerful are cowards because they send innocent people to kill innocent people... while they are at home with heating when it’s cold and air conditioning when it’s hot," he said.
“All of this is simply about humanity,” he said to a standing ovation after his three-minute speech.
“Which is everything that is not happening in Palestine.”
In his Thursday speech, Guardiola reportedly drew parallels between the current situation in Palestine and Barcelona’s own history, specifically referencing the 1938 bombings of the city during the Spanish Civil War.
"Act X Palestine"
The "Act X Palestine" event, organised by a coalition of human rights groups and Catalan cultural organisations, 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 are slated to support cultural centres across Palestine via the Palestinian Performing Arts Network (PPAN).
Guardiola concluded his speech with a message of hope, urging the audience to let the music inspire a "better society."
Guardiola has been a vocal voice on Gaza and Palestine. In October 2025, he called on people to ‘pressure governments to take immediate action’ regarding the conflict in Gaza. He had voiced his support for a pro-Gazan demonstration in the streets of his birth city, Barcelona, scheduled on 4 October.
In June 2025, after receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester, he said, “It’s so painful what we see in Gaza. It hurts my whole body.
The video of him voicing his support for pro-Palestine protests across Europe has already garnered more than 7 million views on X (formerly Twitter).
Trump's Board of Peace
Guardiola's support for Palestine comes at a critical juncture in the Israel-Palestine conflict in Gaza.
The City manager’s appearance in Barcelona comes after Israel signalled it was ready to acknowledge that 70,000 people have been killed in its war on Gaza. Officials from the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) reported the estimated death toll for the first time to multiple Israeli news outlets. The figure is almost identical to the 71,667 reported by the Gaza health ministry, which is run by Hamas.
President Donald Trump’s latest attempt to sidestep the United Nations through his new Board of Peace appears to have inadvertently backfired after major world powers rejected US aspirations for it to have a larger international mandate beyond the Gaza ceasefire and recommitted their support for the over 80-year-old global institution, news agency AP reported.
The board to be chaired by Trump was originally envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing his plan for Gaza’s future. But President Trump’s ambitions have expanded to envisioning the board as a mediator of worldwide conflicts, the news agency said in a report on 30 January.
The board’s charter also caused some dismay by stating President Trump will lead it until he resigns, with veto power over its actions and membership.
Who is Pep Guardiola?
I think we have 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.
Guardiola is one of two managers in history to win the continental treble twice, and he holds the record for the most consecutive league games won in La Liga, 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 team's trip to Tottenham on Sunday.
Key Takeaways
- Guardiola highlights the plight of Palestinian children and the need for global humanitarian support.
- He criticises world leaders for their inaction in addressing the crisis in Gaza.
- The concert aimed to raise funds for humanitarian aid and cultural reconstruction in Palestine.
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