 "As debate rages on who is the all-time best, Pep Guardiola backs Lionel Messi. Image: Reuters")
Forget the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola feels that the Argentine forward is even better than Pele or Diego Maradona. Messi and Ronaldo’s fans are constantly in a battle on social media to prove who among the two modern-day greats is the best footballer of all time, but Guardiola, who is considered as one of the greatest football coaches of all time, has a different take.
Guardiola who has won La Liga, Premier League, Bundesliga, and Champions trophies multiple times, feels that Messi is not just better than Ronaldo but he is the “greatest of all time”.
“Messi is the greatest player of all time. Perhaps I am disrespecting Pelé and Maradona, but I cannot imagine anyone like Messi, with his consistency. He is unique,” Guardiola said on the Italian television program Che Tempo Che Fa.
Further explaining his thoughts, Guardiola said: “I watched that kid train every day and play every three days in an incredible manner. When you see him up close, you realize what he truly is. We are lucky to be able to admire him. It is a beautiful sight.”
Messi under Guardiola
Messi played under Guardiola at Barcelona from 2008 to 2012, scoring 211 goals and making 94 assists in 219 matches across competitions. He also won the La Liga thrice and the Champions League once.
Guardiola was also asked about his future at Man City but the Spaniard refused to delve into details. There are reports that Guardiola could leave City next year when his contract ends as his good friend and the club’s sporting director Txiki Begiristain is also set to leave.
“I’m not going to talk about this topic; when it happens, it will happen,” he said.
However, Guardiola did give a reaction to the possibility of becoming the next England national team coach.
“Leaving City? It’s not true, I haven’t decided yet. And it is not even true that I will be the next England coach. If I had decided I would say it … I don’t know either, anything can happen,” Guardiola added.