inherit a squad full of talent when he became manager at Camp Nou in 2008.
Under Guardiola’s guidance, Messi rose to global stardom, becoming one of the most dangerous attackers the game has ever seen.
Messi’s performance improved each year during his four seasons with Guardiola, and in their final season together, Messi scored an incredible 73 goals in all competitions.
Between 2009 and 2012, Messi claimed four consecutive Ballon d’Or awards.
Now, Messi has eight Ballon d’Or titles, a record-breaking number of major achievements, and numerous places in football history.
With that in mind, Guardiola has told Italian TV show Che Tempo, Che Fa when asked for his take on Messi: “For me it’s easy to say he’s the best of all time, but the stars came together at the right moment.
“The GOAT? Maybe that’s a lack of respect to Pele and [Diego] Maradona, but for me, he is. I’ve never seen someone like him as a coach, you can’t imagine him maintaining this continuity for 15-20 years.
“When you see him up close, you think of Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan, we were lucky to work with him.”
At 37, Messi continues to thrive, adding more silverware to his collection with MLS club Inter Miami. His long-time competitor, Cristiano Ronaldo, is still active at 39, playing for Saudi Pro League team Al-Nassr.
Meanwhile, Guardiola is in the final year of his contract with Premier League champions Manchester City.
