Pep Guardiola urges patience on Lamine Yamal comparisons to Lionel Messi, as Man City boss drops hints on coaching future - 'Let his career develop'
Published 28/07/2025 at 16:28 GMT+1
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has urged for patience on the comparisons between Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi. Numerous parallels run between the Barcelona stars of past and present, both of which graduated from La Masia and are left-footed players full of flair and trickery. But Guardiola has said comparisons should be made after Yamal is allowed to develop throughout his career.
Rashford reveals favourite position as he praises Flick – ‘He can make me play good football’
Video credit: SNTV
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has urged those comparing Barcelona star Lamine Yamal to Lionel Messi to "let him develop his career."
Both La Masia graduates with an immense amount of natural-born skill and flair, it was only a matter of time before Yamal drew Messi comparisons - especially after taking the iconic No. 10 shirt at Barca.
But Guardiola, under whom Messi flourished for four seasons and won two UEFA Champions Leagues and three La Liga titles, believes that comparison should be saved for after Yamal's career.
"Let him develop his career," Guardiola said about the 18-year-old. "And the fact that he's being compared to Messi is a big deal.
"Like if you compare a painter to Van Gogh, they'll say, 'Wow, he's not bad, it's a sign he's good'. And that comparison is a sign he's good. But we have to let him develop his career. And we'll see.
"Messi has been a big deal. 90 goals in one season, for 15 years, nonstop, without injury. That's a big deal. Let him go. Let him go."
- UEFA Women's Euro 2025: Aitana Bonmati laments 'cruel' Spain shoot-out loss to England and insists 'we were better on the pitch'
- 'Crazy mentality' - England coach Sarina Wiegman hails Lucy Bronze after defender plays through Euro 2025 tournament with fractured tibia
Guardiola reveals plans after Man City
The Catalan coach also shed light on his managerial future after City.
The 54-year-old came under fire and saw his future at the club questioned last season after a huge dip in form and consistency blighted their chance at a historic fifth straight Premier League title.
Rumours of his departure, potentially to take the place of Gareth Southgate in the vacant England role, were soon put to bed when he signed a contract extension through to 2027.
But what comes after that is still on plenty of minds, and Guardiola revealed his intention to take a break from football whenever he leaves City.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2022/05/23/3377984-69039948-2560-1440.jpg)
Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City celebrates with the Premier League trophy
Image credit: Getty Images
"I don't know. The truth is, I don't know, but I don't think I'm... I don't know, because you can also have large work groups that help you with certain things.
"I know that after this stage with City I'm going to stop, that's for sure, it's decided, more than decided. I don't know how long I'll stop for, a year, two years, three years, five, 10, 15, I don't know.
"But I'm going to stop after this stage with City, because I need to stop and focus on myself, on my body.
"My grandfather used to say, 'You look at me like cows watch the train go by'. Well, that's it, you have to stop and watch it go by. And then life... I had never thought that I would coach, that I would go to Germany to coach, to England, and be the coach of Barcelona, or that I would play for Barcelona.
"We think we're in control, but no, something's bound to happen that'll put something in front of me, and I'll say, 'Oh, do I want to do this or not?' And if not, well, I'll figure it out. And I think my plan now is this: stop, stop... And then we'll see."
After stints playing in Italy, Qatar, and Mexico, Guardiola retired from his playing career in 2006 at the age of 35.
A single season managing Barcelona B set him up to take the head coaching role of his boyhood club, and after four glorious seasons at Barca, he knew "enough was enough" and moved on.
He is confident he knows the right time for a change.
"My career stopped when my head said enough. I could have prolonged it, but my head said: 'I'm tired, I can't do any more'. I think I knew how to stop at the right moment.
"The same thing happened to me with my coaching job [at Barcelona]. There came a time when I said enough, that's enough. I'm going to look for another challenge.
"When you try to push it too hard, things just don't work out. But it was my head, not so much my muscles, or my knees, or my feet."]
- - -
Stream the Premier League, Men’s and Women’s FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and more on TNT Sports and discovery+
Related Topics
Thoughts?
Advertisement
Advertisement