"Spain has had very good athletes but consistency and longevity of Rafa has not been had by anyone" - Pep Guardiola when asked if Rafael Nadal is greatest Spanish athlete
![Pep Guardiola [inset] believes Rafael Nadal is the greatest Spanish athlete of all time.](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/06/f2eb8-16546139272969-1920.jpg?w=500)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes Rafael Nadal is the greatest athlete in Spain's history without a shadow of a doubt. He reckons Nadal's incredible consistency sets him apart from the rest of the field.
The 36-year-old Spaniard clinched his 22nd Grand Slam title and 14th French Open crown by beating Casper Ruud in the Roland Garros final on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola recently attended the Puma Legends Trophy in Mallorca, where he was quizzed about Nadal. Guardiola did not think twice before stating that Rafael Nadal is indeed the finest sportsperson to have emerged from Spain.
"Without a doubt (Nadal is the best sportsperson in Spanish history)," Pep Guardiola said. And I would say without discussion. It is difficult to compare individual sports with team sports. Spain has had very good athletes but the consistency and longevity of Rafa has not been had by anyone."
Guardiola believes it is difficult to find superlatives to describe Nadal's career, given that he has constantly defied obstacles to prolong his stay at the top.
"It seems impossible, and according to him in conditions of many physical difficulties due to the problems he has had," Guardiola said. "There are no more adjectives to describe Rafa's career and successes."
The former Barcelona coach admitted that he did not envision Nadal winning further French Open titles after he secured his 10th crown in Paris at the age of 31. Having said that, Guardiola now feels the southpaw can win more titles at Roland Garros, provided he stays fit.
"It seemed that after winning the ninth or 10th he was already (done). He was getting older," Guardiola said. "But he doesn't stop. And I have the impression that if his body can withstand the problems with his foot, he will continue to win."
"The comparison is normal" - Pep Guardiola on the comparison between Rafael Nadal and Real Madrid
Rafael Nadal has drawn a lot of comparisons with his favorite football club Real Madrid. This is because both the athlete and the club recently clinched their 14th title in two of the biggest tournaments in their respective sports.
Los Blancos won their 14th Champions League title by beating Liverpool in the final, while Nadal defeated Casper Ruud to clinch his 14th French Open crown.
When asked for his thoughts on this comparison, Guardiola steered clear of commenting about Real Madrid, which is understandable since he is a former player and manager of arch-rivals Barcelona.
However, the legendary coach feels comparisons between Real Madrid and Rafael Nadal are "normal."
"I can't say. I'm not Nadal, I haven't played for Madrid and I'll never be at that club," Guardiola said. "There are many Champions Leagues and there are many Roland Garros. The comparison is normal."