Ranking the 5 greatest forwards to play under Pep Guardiola
With the ongoing season his sixth at the Etihad Stadium, Pep Guardiola has officially spent more time in Manchester City's dugout than any other club. During the stint, the Catalan coach has managed to stack up his trophy cabinet with 10 titles, even coming close to the third Champions League of his managerial career. Pep Guardiola has also had the privilege to work with some of the best players of this generation, making his job a lot easier.
Pep Guardiola and his favorite players over the years
As stated earlier, his spell with the Cityzens is by far the longest of his coaching career. Subsequently, Manchester City players dominate the top half of the list with the most appearances under Pep Guardiola. Raheem Sterling is the Spaniard's most used player to date, having played 257 games with Guardiola as his coach.
Pep Guardiola: “In the past [Manchester] United won a lot of titles because they spent more money than other clubs. You remember that?”
Yes but it was money United generated themselves. Owners have never put £1 billion into United.
Glazer ownership has cost United £1 billion.
Midfield maestros Kevin De Bruyne and Fernandinho closely follow their team-mate, having made 231 and 220 appearances respectively, with the Catalan tactician at the helm. Lionel Messi, Dani Alves and Xavi are the first Barcelona entries while Manuel Neuer and Thomas Muller marginally sneak into the top 25.
With a hoard of legendary players to choose from, Pep Guardiola has had the pick of the bunch when it comes to squad-building. Having mentored dozens of superstars in every position on the field, the former Barcelona midfielder has been instrumental in their eventual success. Tackling one post at a time, let's take a look at the 5 best forwards to have played under Pep Guardiola:
Honorable mention - Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
#5 Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona)
Samuel Eto'o arrived in Barcelona in 2004, having shaken up La Liga during his time at RCD Mallorca. The Real Madrid reject had garnered widespread acclaim through his performances and was expected to take his game to the next level with a move to Camp Nou.
The Cameroonian forward did just that, elevating his goalscoring abilities due to much better service from the Blaugrana creators. Although Eto'o played for a solitary season under Pep Guardiola, his 2008-09 campaign was one for the legends.
Samuel Eto'o: "I can't compare José Mourinho to Pep Guardiola, one of them failed to win the Champions League with Bayern Munich while the other won it with Porto." https://t.co/XJn8Mm8lWM
In the 52 games he played under the Catalan tactician, Eto'o produced an impressive 36 goals and nine assists. He was pivotal to Barcelona's treble-winning season, flourishing under Pep Guardiola's tactics. His spat with Guardiola towards the end of the Spaniard's debut campaign resulted in Eto'o being ousted from the club, explaining his low finish on the list.
#4 Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich)
Arjen Robben was already a Bayern Munich legend by the time Pep Guardiola arrived at the Allianz Arena. The 'flying Dutchman' was widely popular and feared by opposition defenses due to his ability to cut in from the right and slot in a banging curler.
Under Guardiola, Robben continued his progress in exponential form, even at the age of 29. In 97 games under the Spaniard, the Dutch winger netted 47 times, laying a further 30 assists for his team-mates. Pep Guardiola's pass-dominated game perfectly suited Robben's style of play, resulting in the aforementioned high numbers.
Arjen Robben: "Guardiola is football obsessed, once he called me at 2am to talk about tactics." 😂 https://t.co/0jpTr2xAG5
Even though Pep Guardiola failed to win a single Champions League title during his three-year stay in Bavaria, Robben's invaluable contributions enabled him to secure three Bundesliga titles. Robben is undoubtedly one of the finest forwards to play under Guardiola.
Also read: Greatest XI that missed out on the 2021 Ballon d'Or shortlist