Pep Guardiola Names 2 Players Lionel Messi Blocked From Winning the Ballon d’Or
- Pep Guardiola believes Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta deserved to win the Ballon d’Or in their careers
- Lionel Messi’s dominance overshadowed the Spanish duo's chances during Barcelona’s golden era
- Guardiola says Rodri’s 2024 Ballon d'Or is a long-overdue reward for Spanish football
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Pep Guardiola has voiced his belief that two of his former midfield maestros were denied Ballon d'Or recognition during their primes due to Lionel Messi’s era-defining dominance.
Speaking in light of Rodri’s 2024 Ballon d’Or win, Guardiola looked back on what he described as an overdue acknowledgement of Spanish football excellence.
Source: Getty Images
Guardiola, who managed Barcelona between 2008 and 2012, oversaw one of the most dominant club sides in football history, winning the Champions League twice with the Spanish club.
At the heart of his all-conquering Barcelona team was a midfield trio of Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, and Sergio Busquets.
Despite their instrumental roles in Barcelona’s success and Spain’s 2010 World Cup win, neither Xavi nor Iniesta ever claimed the sport’s most prestigious individual honour, the Ballon d’Or, as seen on BR Football.
Guardiola speaks on Messi’s dominance
Speaking about the difficulty of breaking through the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly, Manchester City manager Guardiola said that Messi and Ronaldo blocked Xavi and Iniesta’s greatness, GiveMeSport reports.
“Cristiano was a monster, and the father of the monster is Messi. Both have done something incredible in the last 15 or 20 years. Maybe in that moment, Xavi and Iniesta deserved the Ballon d’Or as well.”
In 2010, Messi won the Ballon d'Or, edging out his Barcelona teammates Xavi and Iniesta despite Spain’s historic World Cup triumph.
While the decision was debated, Messi’s incredible stats and consistency during that period often left little room for others, even those as technically gifted and tactically vital as the Spanish midfield pair.
Rodri's win is a redemption for Spain
Fast forward to 2024, Spanish midfielder Rodri claimed the Ballon d’Or after a stellar season with Manchester City, where he played a key role in their treble-winning campaign.
Source: Getty Images
Guardiola acknowledged the significance of Rodri’s win not just for the player but for Spanish football as a whole.
The treble-winning Champions League manager noted that Rodri got what Spanish football deserved worldwide, indicating the midfielder’s award may in some way symbolically represent what Xavi and Iniesta missed out on years ago.
While Xavi and Iniesta may never have won the Ballon d’Or, their legacy remains untarnished, and Guardiola’s praise adds further weight to their iconic status in the game.
Spain could yet celebrate back-to-back Ballon d’Or wins as Barcelona duo Pedri and Lamine Yamal are now in the spotlight and frontrunners for the 2025 award after a stellar season with the Catalan giants.
Yamal reacts to Messi’s comparisons
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Barcelona youngster, Lamine Yamal, has reacted after he was compared with the club Legend Lionel Messi.
At just 17, Yamal has become a key member of the Barcelona first team, playing on the right flank, where Messi played.
"I don't compare myself to him, because I don't compare myself to anyone -- and much less with Messi,” Yamal said before Barcelona’s Champions League semifinal first leg against Inter Milan.
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Source: Legit.ng
