10/31/2025
🗣️PEP GUARDIOLA: "The difference between Messi and this generation? I’ll be honest, if Messi were still in Europe, half of these stars… you wouldn’t hear much about their names. Today’s forwards score 20 goals a season and are considered legends. Messi would score 20 goals in two months or half a month and still complain he wasn’t at his best.
Players today celebrate routine goals. Messi used to embarrass us by scoring world-class goals every single week. You know what the difference is between Messi and today’s generation? They need tactical analysis, performance-tracking devices, and nutritionists. Messi just needed a ball, boots, and my permission to train three extra hours.
I’m coaching Haaland now, and he’s amazing. But if Messi were in the Premier League, Erling would be playing left back. Messi didn’t compete against players, he competed against our idea of what was impossible. Today Mbappé runs, Haaland scores, and De Bruyne passes, but no one, no one, can make us say, ‘Oh my God, how did he do that?’
Some players create stats. Messi created pure wonder."
