'God of soccer' Lionel Messi (38, Inter Miami) — who does he think is the best coach?
Messi expressed his thoughts in an exclusive interview with ESPN Argentina. Messi showed special respect for Pep Guardiola, the manager who developed him over many years.
Messi declared of Guardiola, whom he has called "the coach who shared the decisive moments of my football life," "the best of all the coaches I've had."
From 2008 to 2012, Messi won as many as 14 major trophies with Guardiola at Barcelona. He described it as "a time that perfectly explained what football is." Guardiola is unparalleled. There are many great coaches, but he has an exceptional sense in every aspect. From planning and preparation to the way he communicates with players, everything was perfectly in place, he praised.
Having peaked during his Barcelona days, Messi fondly remembered memories with Guardiola. After leaving Barcelona, Guardiola went on to succeed consecutively at Bayern Munich and Manchester City.
Messi expressed respect, saying, "Pep changes the very way of playing wherever he goes. It was the same in Germany and England. He's not just someone who wins; he is someone who changes the team's way of playing football itself."
Guardiola reached the milestone of managing 1,000 career matches. At Manchester City alone he has already won six Premier League titles and a Champions League crown. It's a flawless résumé that Messi calls "the best."
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