Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola shined together at FC Barcelona from 2008 to 2012, forming a legendary player-coach partnership in a team many consider the greatest in soccer history. But much time has passed since then, and the current Manchester City manager now believes a different player holds the title of world’s best.
Ahead of this Saturday’s Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur, Guardiola held a press conference in which he addressed the status of Rodri, who was not even on the bench during last week’s league opener against Wolverhampton.
“Rodri and Phil (Foden), the last game they were out for just the reason of lack of training and rhythm. They could not play 90 minutes against Wolves, but they were ready and they are ready for tomorrow,” the coach explained, according to SkySports.
Speaking in more detail about the Spanish midfielder — who last played a competitive match on June 30 in the FIFA Club World Cup round of 16 against Al-Hilal — Pep was direct. “I just want consistency with Rodri, that’s all. I don’t have any doubt about his potential, quality,” he said. “He is still the best player in the world.”
Rodri holds up his ballon d’or award prior to the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Tottenham Hotspur on November 23, 2024.
Following that bold statement, the Manchester City coach backed his choice of Rodri as the No. 1 player in world soccer by citing his status as the reigning Ballon d’Or winner. “In a few months, they will elect a new one, but he still is,” Pep added. Indeed, for exactly one more month — until the awards ceremony on September 22 — Rodri will remain the current holder of the trophy. However, Guardiola is well aware he won’t repeat the honor, as Rodri wasn’t even named among the 30 finalists this year.
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A new Ballon d’Or winner is guaranteed in 2025
Rodri isn’t the only Ballon d’Or winner missing from the 30-player shortlist for this year’s award. In fact, none of the still-active past winners made the cut. Alongside Rodri, the other active players who have won the Ballon d’Or are Lionel Messi (8), Cristiano Ronaldo (5), Luka Modric (1), and Karim Benzema (1). None of them are on this year’s list.
That means 2025 will see a new Ballon d’Or winner. Among the finalists, a few names have emerged as leading contenders for the prestigious honor. Ousmane Dembele tops the list, thanks to his strong individual performances and success with Paris Saint-Germain, while some also point to his PSG teammate Vitinha. Another favorite appears to be Lamine Yamal, already Barcelona’s brightest star at just 18 years old.
Who does Guardiola believe is the greatest of all time?
While Guardiola currently names Rodri as the best player in the world based on the 2024 Ballon d’Or, he has always been clear about who he sees as the greatest player of all time — a choice deeply connected to his unforgettable four-year spell in charge of Barcelona.
“Leo Messi is the best footballer in history,” Guardiola said in a 2024 interview with Che tempo che fa. “Maybe I’m being disrespectful to Pele and Diego Maradona, but I can’t imagine anyone like Messi, with his consistency… You have to know him. I had never seen anything like him, in training or in matches. You can’t imagine someone sustaining that level for 15 to 20 years. He’s one of a kind.”
