Lionel Messi has praised Pep Guardiola as one of the most influential coaches he’s ever worked with, saying Guardiola is uniqueand the best of all the coaches he’s had.
The Argentine spoke about Guardiola’s tactical vision, preparation, and communication with players. Messi has acknowledged that he no longer maintains a close relationship with Guardiola now that the coach is no longer at Barcelona, even though they had a strong connection during their time together on the pitch.
What did Lionel Messi say about Pep Guardiola?
I have always been very respectful towards my opponents. I remember Pep Guardiola always telling us something like that when we were doing so well.”
“At that point, it was already the 20th minute and we were winning 4-0… Guardiola would tell us, ‘The best way to respect your opponents is to always play the same way, by scoring goals. That’s what I always try to do. Be respectful, be serious and play my game. Obviously, you get heated and there are many situations, but everything that happens on the pitch stays on the pitch.”
He often speaks about how crucial Guardiola was for his development as a player. Under Guardiola, Messi played a central role in a Barcelona side that won 14 major trophies, and Messi himself grew into one of the best players in the world during those years.
He has also called Guardiola special in how he sees the game differently and changed how football is played, which shows the depth of his respect for him as a coach.