13 June 2023 , 21:54
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Lionel Messi has hailed Pep Guardiola as the "best coach in the world" after he guided Manchester City to a historic treble.
Guardiola has become just the second manager after Sir Alex Ferguson to win the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the same season. And Messi was delighted to see his former boss win a third Champions League with City, having been part of his Barcelona side when he won his first two in 2009 and 2011.
"I talk a lot with Guardiola and [have] kept in frequent contact," Messi told Titan Sports. "I'm very happy with what he's achieved, [winning] the last Champions League.
"He's the best coach in the world although, for me, he didn't have to win this Champions League to prove it, but [it is] an achievement he deserves." Messi recently announced he had agreed to join MLS side Inter Miami after his deal with Paris Saint-Germain expired and the 35-year-old also reflected on his legendary career during the interview.
Having been asked who his favourite team-mates to play with were, Messi name-checked the likes of Neymar, Xavi, Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o and Luis Suarez. "I was lucky to play for a long time at Barcelona... with many of the best players," he said.
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"Like Ronaldinho, Deco, Eto'o, Suarez, Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta, [Sergio] Busquets, I was lucky enough to play with the best players and enjoy the game with them. Speaking of which, I almost forgot about Neymar because there are so many people.
Lionel Messi has named his greatest ever teammates (Getty Images)"There must be many players I forgot to mention. I've been lucky enough to play with the best players, with the best strikers. Like Neymar, Eto'o, Suarez, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic and [David] Villa and many more.
"I've been comfortable playing with all of them, or almost all of them, because I've been lucky enough to play with the best of them... playing with them is easy." Messi also confirmed the 2022 World Cup will likely be his last after he led Argentina to victory, with the South American's beating France on penalties in the final after a thrilling 3-3 draw.
When asked if there was a chance he could lead Argentina's World Cup defence in 2026, he replied: "I think not. [2022] was my last World Cup. I will see how things go, but in principle no, I will not go to the next World Cup."