Lionel Messi makes major Pep Guardiola claim in glowing review of Manchester City boss | OneFootball

Barcelona and Argentina legend Lionel Messi has piled on the praise for his former coach in Spanish football, speaking during a new interview.

The remarks arrive at a time when wider discussion around Pep Guardiola’s long-term Manchester City future continues to intensify. The Catalan is under contract at the Etihad Stadium until 2027, and while the club remain calm, external speculation remains persistent.

City’s continued evolution under Guardiola has remained a core theme of late, particularly as the squad undergoes gradual regeneration in multiple areas. Admiration from figures within the game – including Bernardo Silva – only adds further weight to the view that Guardiola’s influence extends far beyond trophies.

Lionel Messi’s latest remarks feed into that same narrative, offering a perspective from arguably the person who understands Pep Guardiola’s philosophy best following years together at Barcelona delivering some of the most dominant and aesthetically influential football seen in the modern era.

Speaking during a new interview with ESPN, Messi has been keen to praise the current Manchester City head coach as “the best of all of them” when compared to some of the game’s very best tactical minds.

“For me, [Pep] Guardiola is unique,” Messi said, while currently starring in the United States for Inter Miami. “There are extraordinarily good coaches, but he has something different. For me, he’s the best of all of them.”

The Argentina legend continued, “When it comes to seeing things, preparing for matches, and communicating with the players, he’s very complete.

“He’s the best, and we were lucky to have him at Barcelona. He got together with the players we had and the right pieces came together for what he intended, to achieve everything that was achieved.”

Offering some thoughts on Guardiola’s cross-country legacy in European football, Messi said, “He went to other places and continued winning. It’s not just because of winning but because of the way his teams played.

“He did at Bayern, although he couldn’t win the Champions League there, he changed the way the game was played in Germany, the same in England with City, he changed the way the league is played.”

Lionel Messi’s glowing review will inevitably heighten discussion over Pep Guardiola’s footballing legacy, particularly as Manchester City remain ongoing in the development of the next phase of their long-term project.

With reporting linking the club to successors such as Vincent Kompany and with senior figures acknowledging the difficulty of replacing Pep Guardiola, Messi’s comments only reinforce the scale of what the eventual successor must follow.

In the shorter term, the remarks are another reminder of the unparalleled esteem in which Guardiola is held by those who played under him. While City remain relaxed about his contract, the wider football world is already considering what his exit would mean for the club.

Looking ahead, Pep Guardiola’s influence is expected to fuel both squad-building strategy and structural planning at Manchester City over the coming seasons. Whether or not Guardiola extends beyond 2027, voices like Lionel Messi’s ensure that the club’s managerial succession remains one of the most intriguing long-term narratives in football.