Lionel Messi mentioned he believes his former FC Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has turned Manchester Metropolis into probably the most enticing workforce to observe, however he conceded Actual Madrid are the most effective “by way of outcomes.”
Guardiola guided Metropolis to a report fourth successive Premier League title one 12 months after main his workforce to win a historic treble — Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.
LaLiga winners Actual Madrid beat Metropolis within the quarterfinals of the Champions League en path to lifting their fifteenth European Cup on June 1.
Requested who he considers to be the most effective workforce on the planet, Messi advised Infobae: “Should you communicate by way of outcomes, it’s [Real] Madrid, the present Champions [League] holders.
“Should you communicate by way of play, I personally like Guardiola’s Metropolis. I believe that any workforce the place Guardiola is will likely be particular due to the way in which he’s, the way in which he trains, the way in which he works and the way he makes his groups play.
“On the stage of play for me, Metropolis is the most effective, and by way of outcomes, Madrid.”
Below Guardiola, Messi gained 14 titles at Barça, together with three LaLiga trophies, two Champions League and two FIFA Membership World Cups.
Messi is presently coaching with Argentina‘s nationwide workforce in Miami.
The Inter Miami ahead will captain the Albiceleste on the upcoming Copa América that will likely be staged in the US from June 20 till July 14.
The 2022 World Cup winners are the present Copa América holders.
“I believe that Argentina is at all times favorite,” Messi mentioned. “When a event begins, be it a World Cup, Copa América or no matter, Argentina is a candidate similar to Brazil and extra so on this Copa América. However I believe that at present the South American groups are very sturdy.
“Uruguay is superb, as is Colombia and Ecuador. Afterwards it turns into very troublesome to play all of the video games, however I believe will probably be a really levelled Copa América.”
Messi, 36, admitted that profitable the World Cup has given him a way of success however life has gone on as regular.
“Clearly having gained and having achieved all the things at nationwide stage, it’s totally different expertise, there’s one other peace of thoughts,” he mentioned. “Being world champion felt for me like feeling fulfilled. I achieved all the things, I used to be capable of obtain the targets and desires I had.
“It is like all the things modified, however on the identical time nothing modified.
“Sure, we achieved the purpose, and clearly it was what we wished probably the most, me, my household and everybody.
“However then life goes on. I needed to proceed in Paris at [Paris Saint-Germain] , [then] I needed to reside right here [in Miami] and proceed attempting to realize issues, to win.
“Now we have now one other problem with the nationwide workforce, which is to have the ability to attempt to win the Copa América.”
Messi, whose contract with Inter Miami expires in December 2025, has not given a sign as to when he’ll retire from the nationwide workforce.
Argentinians are hopeful that Messi will play on the 2026 World Cup that will likely be performed in the US, Mexico and Canada.
“It is dependent upon how I really feel, on how I’m bodily,” Messi admitted.
“I’ve to be life like with myself. And know if I’m as much as the duty of having the ability to compete and assist the teammates subsequent to me. There’s a while left, and I do not know the way I will likely be at that second.
“Age can also be a actuality that’s there, though it’s a quantity, and the video games that I’m going to play [at Inter Miami] usually are not the identical as those I performed after I was in Europe. … However it would rely on how I really feel, what I really feel after I’m subsequent to my teammates and see if I am nonetheless as much as par or not.”
