Manchester City's Rising Star Abandons Football for Oxford University Amid Intense Guardiola Training

A former Manchester City academy player has left professional football to pursue a law degree at Oxford University, citing the grueling training under Pep Guardiola as a key factor in his decision.

By Chris Posiano

November 17, 2025 at 1:57 AM

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A former Manchester City prospect, Han Willhoft-King, has made a dramatic career shift, abandoning professional football to enroll at Oxford University. The 19-year-old midfielder, once a standout in Tottenham Hotspur’s academy, revealed that the relentless demands of Guardiola’s first-team training sessions left him disillusioned and seeking a more intellectually stimulating path.

Willhoft-King’s journey from grassroots football to elite academies was marked by promise. Scouted by Tottenham at a young age, he honed his skills alongside future Arsenal stars like Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri. His technical prowess and tactical awareness earned him England youth caps, but the pressures of professional football began to weigh on him. After joining Manchester City’s Under-21 setup in 2024, he faced a stark reality: a grueling routine of high-intensity drills, recovery work, and sporadic game time.

Speaking to *The Telegraph*, Willhoft-King described the first-team sessions under Guardiola as physically and mentally exhausting. “You’d run after the ball like dogs for hours,” he recalled, noting the frustration of being outpaced by stars like Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri. While admiring the world-class talent, he felt disconnected from the environment, which he described as stifling and unfulfilling. “I wasn’t enjoying it. The routine was boring, and I felt like I was wasting time,” he said.

His decision to leave football was influenced by both personal and familial factors. Raised in an academic household—his father worked in higher education—Willhoft-King consistently balanced his studies with football, achieving top grades at A-level. Despite a lucrative contract offer from Manchester City, he felt the sport’s transient nature conflicted with his long-term aspirations. “After 10–15 years, what’s next? I wanted something that could last longer,” he explained.

Now a law student at Oxford’s Brasenose College, Willhoft-King continues to play football at the university level, competing in the historic Oxford-Cambridge rivalry. While he remains connected to the game, his focus has shifted to building a future beyond the pitch, emphasizing education as a priority over the uncertainties of a professional football career.