Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola revealed his top two picks for the best passers in football he has ever seen. Before becoming a coach, Guardiola himself was a midfielder who starred for Barcelona, and his tactical philosophy is centred around being comfortable in possession and being able to pull the opposition apart with precise passing in between the lines.
In order to be as successful as he is, the Catalonian will no doubt have needed some incredible technical players to execute his game plan, meaning he required players with good vision and the ability to spot passes no one else can see. And the former Bayern Munich boss named the two stars who stood out above everyone else.
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Guardiola Lists De Bruyne and Messi as the Two Greatest Passers
The tactician even named the order in which he ranked the duo
Speaking ahead of Kevin De Bruyne's final home game for City, Guardiola revealed that the Belgian was one of the best passers of a ball he had ever seen, placing second behind Lionel Messi only. The Cityzen's coach discussed the impact that De Bruyne had during his decade at the Etihad, which led to his manager giving him some incredible praise:
"It's difficult to find someone who can pass the ball like him. He's one of the best three I've ever seen. That I've ever played or dealt with. One is Messi. The number two, let me think about it. Okay, put Kevin second.
"Messi is the best I've ever seen because he could do it really really close to the box. But Kevin is right there. It's there in the stats. The goals and assists he provides to the team in the final third. The talent. Last game he got two or three passes in front of the goalkeeper. This is unique. That's why he's been one of the best in this club's history."
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Messi and De Bruyne's Record Under Guardiola
The Belgian is clear when it comes to assists
When looking at their statistics across their time working under Guardiola, there is a clear assist king, as De Bruyne has managed 164 in comparison to Messi's 94. While the Belgian does have the luxury of an extra 160 games under his belt, the midfielder's average stands at an assist every 2.31 games compared to Messi's 2.33.
Of course, the Argentine leads the way in goals, having scored a mammoth 211 compared to De Bruyne's 92, meaning that his overall goal contributions stand at 304 to his counterpart's 256. That does, however, make them the only two men that Guardiola has ever managed to notch up 200 goal involvements in his career.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and the Premier League - accurate as of 22/05/2025.