Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has once again stirred the long-running debate over who is the greatest footballer of all time (GOAT) between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Guardiola’s latest comments came during a celebration for City midfielder Rodri, who won the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
During the event in Paris, Guardiola reflected on the dominance Messi and Ronaldo maintained over the football world for almost two decades. While applauding Rodri’s success, the City boss couldn’t help but highlight Messi’s superiority.
“Messi? Nobody could beat him—just Cristiano,” Guardiola said, before playfully adding, “Cristiano was a monster, but the father of the monster is Messi.” He acknowledged both players’ extraordinary achievements, saying, “They’ve done something incredible in the past 15 to 20 years.”
Rodri’s Ballon d’Or win holds personal significance for Guardiola. It marks the first time one of his players has won the award since Messi’s triumphs under his guidance at Barcelona. Guardiola also used the moment to praise Spanish football, emphasizing the national style and talent pipeline that has shaped the sport over the last 15 years.
“Rodri represents Spanish football perfectly,” Guardiola noted. “Spain has won many trophies and developed great players, but they’ve often been overlooked for individual awards.”
As Guardiola shifts focus back to Manchester City’s ambitions, including a fifth consecutive Premier League title, his remarks about Messi and Ronaldo have reignited conversations around the GOAT debate, keeping the rivalry alive among fans.
