Pep Guardiola Hails Lionel Messi As Greatest Footballer Ever

• Pep Guardiola still believes that Lionel Messi is the greatest footballer of all time
• Messi inspired Argentina to the 2022 World Cup after beating France on penalties
• Many football fans and experts tout Messi as the greatest to have graced the sport

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has reiterated that Lionel Messi is the greatest player of all time, after the Paris Saint-Germain superstar guided his country to World Cup title.

35-year-old Messi ticked off football's biggest tournament he hadn’t won in his sparkling career by winning the Mundial with Argentina in Qatar, after beating title holders France on penalties.

The ex-Barcelona captain bagged a brace in the final, which was forced to penalties by his PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe, who netted a hat-trick for Didier Deschamps' side.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was the hero for Argentina, saving Bayern Munich forward Kingsley Coman's spot kick before Aurelin Tchouameni fired wide.

Fede Valverde's wife in trouble for calling Lionel Messi the GOAT

Football

La Albiceleste eventually emerged as champions of the world, putting Messi among the pantheon of footballing greats, per Daily Mail.

Guardiola managed the veteran striker for four years at Barcelona when the team were arguably at their peak, winning three La Liga and two Champions League titles.

In a press conference on Wednesday, the Spanish gaffer said his opinion about Messi being the best player ever would not change, even if the Argentine phenomenon had not let his country to World Cup glory.

"Everyone has an opinion, but nobody can doubt that he is there, with the greatest of all time," Guardiola said, via Euro Sports.

"For me I said many times, he is the best. If he [Messi] had not won the World Cup, my opinion about what he has done for world football, it wouldn't have changed absolutely anything. Of course, for him, it's the final achievement of an incredible career."

France coach praises Messi but plans to stop him and Argentina

Football

GOAT debate is not over

Fans have shared varied opinions on who the football GOAT is between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, in the wake of the 2022 World Cup.

The Qatar edition of the global football tournament was touted to settle the never-ending debate, as the two football greats made their fifth and likely final appearances in the competition.

Argentina's World Cup glory had many suggesting that Messi has effectively cemented his place among the all-time football greats.

Darren Bent courts GOAT controversy

Sports Brief earlier reported that the aftermath of Argentina and Messi winning the World Cup is not expected to be dispelled anytime soon.

Messi has been widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time, but his lack of international trophies before 2021 had placed a stigma on him.

A former Tottenham and Sunderland striker, who scored over 100 Premier League goals, took to Twitter to share a list of his top five players in his era.