Lionel Messi once again placed Pep Guardiola at the top of his list of influences in the sport, and the weight of that statement says much more about the Argentine’s current moment than it might seem at first glance. In an interview with ESPN, the Inter Miami star said Guardiola was “the best coach” of his entire career, praising the Manchester City manager’s game vision, preparation and ability to communicate with players. His words echo years of partnership at Barcelona but also reveal how Messi still envisions the kind of soccer he wants to play, even with another World Cup on the horizon.
Messi revisits Guardiola, but the context changes everything
It’s not the first time Messi has praised Guardiola, but the tone feels different now. He’s at Inter Miami, living a different stage of his career and watching the global game from another angle, yet with the same obsession for understanding it. When he says “for me, he is unique,” Messi seems more interested in highlighting a model of coach than simply celebrating a successful past. And when he points out that Guardiola “went somewhere else and kept winning” and that it’s not just about titles but “the way his teams played,” the Argentine subtly outlines the style of soccer that still drives him.
The mutual recognition that shaped an era
Guardiola has said more than once that Messi was “the greatest in history,” placing him above eternal icons like Maradona and Pelé, a comment that always resurfaces whenever the Argentine is asked about his former coach. The stretch of time they worked together almost defies belief. Between 2008 and 2012, Barcelona won 14 major titles, redefined how the world viewed the game and raised the sport’s overall standards.
Messi and Guardiola were one of the most influential duos the game has seen, and their mutual admiration is an acknowledgment of how deeply they shaped each other’s legacy.
If Guardiola remains in the past, the World Cup stands firmly ahead of Messi. At 37, he doesn’t hide the emotional weight he carries every time he puts on Argentina’s jersey. “A seleção é um grupo que vai tentar de novo, dar tudo de si e lutar. Aí, pequenos detalhes podem te eliminar,” he said. He knows exactly what he’s talking about. He knows a shot off the post can change a tournament’s fate. He knows a penalty shootout can turn a hero into a villain, or the other way around, in minutes.
Messi is one step away from the MLS Cup with Inter Miami and is already thinking about what may be his final World Cup. Between the glorious past he shared with Guardiola and the future coming into view, the Argentine is trying to embrace his own history without losing the competitive hunger that carried him this far.