Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been awarded an honorary degree by the University of Manchester, recognizing his extraordinary contribution to the city over nine years on and off the pitch.

At a ceremony in the historic Whitworth Hall, he was presented with an honorary doctorate by the University’s Chancellor, Nazir Afzal. The award is in honor not only of his sporting success but for his inspirational work away from football, including through his family foundation, the Guardiola Sala Foundation.

Pep said: “Manchester means so much to me. I have spent nine years here and it has become home. The people, the culture, my incredible football club, my colleagues… it is all so special to me and my family.  When I arrived here in 2016, I did not know how long I would spend here. The way this city embraced me made everything easy. My time here has been beautiful.

Significantly, During his acceptance speech, Guardiola stood up for the victims of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

While standing for Gaza and its people, the Manchester City manager said it pains him to see what has been unfolding in the region for the past year or so. “It’s so painful what we see in Gaza. It hurts my whole body. And let me be clear, it’s not about ideology. It’s not about whether I’m right, or you’re wrong. Come on. It’s just about the love of life, about the care of your neighbor. Maybe we think that we see the boys and girls of four years old being killed by the bomb or being killed at the hospital because it’s not a hospital anymore. It’s not our business.”