‘It was down to me or Pep Guardiola for the Barcelona job. You can’t really say that they made the wrong choice!’ Michael Laudrup opens up on missing out on the Barca job

Danish footballer Michael Laudrup playing for the Spanish club FC Barcelona, early 1990s. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images).

Every player has those ‘what if’ moments during their careers.

Whether it’s a crucial missed penalty, a transfer that never happened or a premature decision to hang up their boots, something a player hasn’t done can often define their whole career.

Danish legend Michael Laudrup should have no regrets over this superlative playing career, which saw him dazzle for Lazio, Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid among others, and while his managerial career has had its highlights, it hasn’t hit the peaks of his former Camp Nou team-mate Pep Guardiola.

Laudrup on going up against Guardiola for the Barca job

Pep Guardiola celebrates Barcelona's European Cup final win over Sampdoria at Wembley in May 1992 (Image credit: Getty Images)

Guardiola and Laudrup lined up alongside each other 114 times for Barcelona between 1990 and 1994 as part of Johan Cruyff’s legendary ‘Dream Team’ and both would follow up their distinguished playing careers by moving into the dugout after hanging up their boots.

Guardiola has famously gone on to become one of the all-time great managers, enjoying trophy-laden success at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City, while Laudrup has followed a more modest management path after taking over at his former club Brondby in 2002.

Michael Laudrup celebrates with the League Cup trophy after Swansea's win over Bradford City in the 2013 final (Image credit: Getty Images)

Stints in Spain, Russia and Qatar followed, as did a two-year spell at Swansea City, who he led to a League Cup win in 2013.

His CV is lacking big-name clubs, but that came from personal choice, as he has previously admitted he never wanted to manage a European heavyweight.

“It wasn’t a specific ambition,” the Dane tells FourFourTwo. “It can take years to build your career and get a shot at a big club.

“You join them, and maybe finish second in the league and reach a Champions League semi-final, then they might say, “Sorry, but you didn’t win and you have to leave.”

“What you built can be over in 10 months. It wasn’t that I said I wouldn’t coach a big club – if the opportunity had been there, I would have.”

Guardiola is now one of the game's greatest-ever managers (Image credit: Getty Images)

And that opportunity almost came about back when Barcelona were looking for Frank Rijkaard’s replacement.

“In 2008, Barcelona were looking for a new coach,” he recalls. “And according to the Getafe president, it was down to me or Pep Guardiola, as ex-players.

“They chose him – you can’t really say that they made the wrong choice! [Laughs]”