Pep Guardiola is one of the greatest minds football has ever known. While he achieved plenty as a midfielder, primarily for Barcelona, he truly shaped the game after hanging up his boots to become a manager.
Up there with the very best coaches of all time, the Catalan native has immeasurably shaped the modern game as we know it. Successful spells at Barca, Bayern Munich and Manchester City have seen him win everything on offer in club football.
As a result, he has coached some of the best footballers of the past few decades. However, which players stand out as the most intelligent?
Despite having worked with true footballing geniuses such as Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne – the list could go on – one Bayern Munich legend stands out as the most intelligent player Guardiola has coached.
Pep Guardiola Loved Philipp Lahm
"He is one of the most fantastic players I ever trained"
Bayern Munich's head coach Pep Guardiola (R) gestures as he talks to his player Philipp Lahm during a training session
As quoted by Goal (via Sportskeeda), the manager singled out Philipp Lahm for praise, noting how smart he was. He said:
"Philipp Lahm is perhaps the most intelligent player I have ever trained in my career. He is at another level."
In more detailed quotes, Guardiola told the press in 2017 about his adoration for Lahm, adding: "Philipp was and is a special person in my life," Guardiola told a news conference.
"It is not easy for a Catalan guy to go to Munich after their Treble and learn German and be involved in that culture. He helped me on and off the pitch.
"He is one of the most fantastic players I ever trained in my life and one of the most intelligent. Football is going to miss one of the best players ever. He can play in 10 positions, no problems because he understands the game perfectly.
"I know when I go back to Munich to see my friends he will be there. That is the most precious gift a trainer can have."
Philipp Lahm Under Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich
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Guardiola Later Praised Ilkay Gundogan
"One of the smartest I’ve coached"
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola shares an embrace with Ilkay Gundogan.
After leaving Bayern for Manchester City in 2016, Guardiola went on to work with another German who evidently had a very high footballing IQ. This time, it was midfielder Ilkay Gundogan who earned plenty of praise from the Catalan coach:
“Ilkay didn’t speak much, but when he did, everyone listened, including me. He was clear and direct. He’s a very intelligent player, one of the smartest I’ve coached. He was key to our success,” Guardiola stated.
“A player can be fast or have a great shot, but what makes them stand out and become elite is their intelligence. Making the right decisions under pressure, knowing what the team needs at any moment—that’s the kind of player I look for. I love smart players. I only had to explain things to Ilkay once. He understood and implemented it immediately. That’s extraordinary."
Guardiola obviously has a great respect for German football, with two of their finest players of the modern era leaving a big mark on him.
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Stats via Transfermarkt