Pep Guardiola Reveals the Six Eternal Footballers He Admires Most

Pep Guardiola rarely deals in absolutes when ranking the greatest players of all time. The Manchester City manager has always preferred nuance, acknowledging that different generations and cultures produce their own heroes. Yet in late December 2022, shortly after the death of Pelé, Guardiola offered one of his clearest and most lasting statements on the subject.

Speaking at a press conference, the Catalan coach paid tribute to the Brazilian legend and then named a select group of six players he believes will remain beyond ordinary comparison. “Pele, [Diego] Maradona, [Johan] Cruyff, [Lionel] Messi, [Franz] Beckenbauer, Cristiano Ronaldo — these players will be forever, they will be eternal,” Guardiola said. “These types of players make our business, our job, a better place. What they produced for the feeling for the people… There’s not another show or event that can produce this type of emotion.”

The list is striking for its balance. It spans attackers and a transformative defender, South Americans and Europeans, players Guardiola coached and others he only watched or competed against. It also reveals what Guardiola values most: longevity, the ability to stir emotion on a national or global scale, and a quality that elevates the entire sport.

Pelé – The Original Movie Legend

Guardiola never saw Pelé play in the flesh. Born in 1971, he arrived too late for the Brazilian’s peak years. That distance did not diminish his respect. Guardiola compared Pelé’s legacy to a great film or book that people continue discussing decades later simply because the work was so exceptional.

Pelé won three World Cups, scored at a prolific rate for club and country, and helped redefine what a footballer could mean culturally. Guardiola noted that the Brazilian could have adapted to any era. The rhythm of the modern game might be faster, he argued, but exceptional players control tempo and space regardless of the period. Pelé, in Guardiola’s view, belonged to that rare category.

Diego Maradona – Pure Emotion and Genius

If Pelé represented almost mythical perfection, Maradona embodied raw, sometimes chaotic brilliance. Guardiola has spoken of the joy the Argentine generated, particularly at Napoli and during the 1986 World Cup. He described Maradona as unique on the pitch — a once-in-a-generation talent whose impact went far beyond goals and trophies.

Maradona’s ability to carry teams and entire cities on his back left a lasting impression. Guardiola has never claimed to have known him closely, yet he consistently places him among the eternal few who made football feel more alive.

Johan Cruyff – The Mentor Who Changed Everything

No name on the list carries more personal weight for Guardiola than Johan Cruyff. The Dutchman gave Guardiola his Barcelona debut and fundamentally reshaped how the young midfielder understood the game. Guardiola has said repeatedly that he knew nothing about football before working with Cruyff. “A whole new world opened in front of me,” he has recalled.

Cruyff taught decision-making, positional intelligence, and the idea that every action on the pitch should have a purpose. Guardiola has called him the most influential figure in football history, not merely for titles but for the generation of coaches and players he produced. Without Cruyff, Guardiola has insisted, his own career as a manager at Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City would have been impossible. The Dutchman’s presence on the eternal list is both historical and deeply personal.

Lionel Messi – Guardiola’s Clear Favourite

Lionel Messi occupies a unique position. He is the only player on the list whom Guardiola coached for an extended period, and the manager has never hidden his preference. While he respects those who choose Pelé or Maradona, Guardiola has stated that Messi is his personal favourite because of what he witnessed at close range: extraordinary consistency over 15 or more years, the capacity to produce goals and assists at an unprecedented rate, and a level of inventiveness that still seems almost unfair.

Guardiola has described watching Messi in training and matches as something that happens only once in a lifetime. The Argentine’s World Cup triumph in 2022 only reinforced a view Guardiola had held for more than a decade. In his hierarchy, Messi sits at the top, even as he includes the others as eternal equals in a broader sense.

Franz Beckenbauer – The Exceptional Defender

Beckenbauer is the sole pure defender on Guardiola’s list, a choice that underlines the German’s extraordinary status. Known as Der Kaiser, Beckenbauer redefined the sweeper role, combining defensive solidity with elegant ball progression and leadership. He won the World Cup as both player and manager and claimed two Ballon d’Or awards — a rare achievement for a defender.

Guardiola crossed paths with Beckenbauer during his time at Bayern Munich, where the German was honorary president. The respect was mutual and lasting. Including a defender among five attackers and creative midfielders signals that Guardiola measures greatness by impact and intelligence, not solely by goals.

Cristiano Ronaldo – The Relentless Monster

Cristiano Ronaldo completes the six. Guardiola never coached him, though the two nearly crossed paths when Ronaldo was linked with Manchester City in 2021. The Portuguese forward’s place rests on his remarkable longevity, goalscoring obsession, and the intense rivalry he shared with Messi that defined an era.

Guardiola has called Ronaldo a “monster” while noting that Messi was the figure who set the standard the Portuguese chased. He has praised Ronaldo’s ability to keep scoring deep into his career, joking that even at 75 the forward would still find the net at a family barbecue. The admiration is genuine even if Guardiola ultimately ranks Messi higher.

What the List Reveals

Guardiola’s six eternal players share more than talent. Each altered how the game was perceived or played. They produced emotions that statistics cannot capture — the feeling of a nation rising or a stadium believing the impossible. Guardiola has always argued that football’s deepest value lies in those moments of collective joy and inspiration.

The list also reflects his own journey. Cruyff shaped his mind. Messi confirmed his methods at the highest level. Pelé, Maradona, Beckenbauer, and Ronaldo represent the historical continuum he studies and respects. In naming them together, Guardiola bridged eras without forcing an artificial ranking of who is simply “the best.”

Years later the quote continues to circulate because it feels definitive without being dogmatic. Guardiola left room for other opinions while stating his own with clarity. For a manager obsessed with detail and process, the recognition that certain players transcend systems and tactics remains one of his most human and enduring insights into the game he has devoted his life to understanding.

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