Plenty of people have tried their hand at management over the years, with there being no shortage of successful bosses to take charge of teams. But it takes an even better understanding of the game to become an elite coach. And then you have Pep Guardiola.

The former Barcelona midfielder, while an excellent player, is now arguably even more famous for what he’s done after hanging up his boots in 2006. He has gone on to become one of the greatest managers ever, and many people would argue that he is in fact the greatest.

40 trophies make him the second-most successful coach ever, behind only the great Sir Alex Ferguson, while his treble success with Manchester City in 2022/23 made him the first coach to ever lift three trophies in a season with two different teams. If that doesn’t show he’s one of the best to ever do it, we’re not sure what does.

Guardiola has managed to create three dynasties at the three club’s he has worked at over his career: Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and City. And he’s worked with some of the best players to play the game, including Lionel Messi and Kevin De Bruyne. But who are the very best to have played under the Spaniard?

Well, to settle that debate, GIVEMESPORT are taking a look at all the players Guardiola has coached over the years, and are assembling his best combined XI of all time. We’re basing our selections off a variety of different factors, including how many appearances they made under the tactician, how critical they were to a team’s success, and also their wider status in the game. Got all that? Let’s jump into the team then.

Goalkeeper – Manuel Neuer

Bayern Munich

Quite an easy choice, this one. Neuer has been one of the defining goalkeepers of his generation, with or without Guardiola in charge of him. But the German was a key cog in a side that won three Bundesliga titles under the Spanish manager’s influence.

While Victor Valdes is way behind in the pecking order, Ederson does get marginally closer to unseating Neuer in this team. The Brazilian has been ever-present for City since signing, and has made 316 appearances for Guardiola, the third-most out of any player. However, when it comes to how good they were at the peak of their powers, he doesn’t come anywhere near the German shot-stopper.

Right-back – Dani Alves

Barcelona

Leaving out Phillip Lahm and Kyle Walker really does say it all. But you simply have to pick the joint-most decorated footballer in the history of the sport.

Dani Alves really was quite something, and arguably holds the crown of greatest right-back ever. Certainly at the peak of his powers under Guardiola, he formed a devastating partnership with Messi on the right flank. But more on the Argentine magician later.

Racking up 68 assists, as well as 15 goals, under the Spanish coach, Alves saw himself named in the FIFPRO World XI eight times. Only five players have ever featured more in that team, which shows just how highly rated he was by everyone.

CB – Carles Puyol

Barcelona

There are several centre back options to pick from here, but this is the one that feels the most undebatable. Puyol, like Alves, formed part of the core of that Guardiola Barcelona team that went on to become one of the best sides to ever play the game. A leader as well as a quality defender, he played for Pep 165 times before the gaffer left Barca in 2012.

Continuing to have two more excellent years at the Camp Nou before retiring, the one-club man is one of the most important figures in the rise of Guardiola. Speaking in a new documentary, ‘Pep Guaridola: Chasing Perfection’, the Spanish defender hailed his former coach as the best ever.

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CB – Gerard Pique

Barcelona

God this was tough. Manchester City fans might feel hard done by with this selection, with both Vincent Kompany and Ruben Dias two of the best Premier League defenders in years gone by. But the former’s best years were behind him by the time Guardiola arrived in England, with the Belgian playing just 62 times under his watch. And Dias, while impressive, still has a little way to go before he surpasses Gerard Pique’s achievements under Pep.

The Spanish defender formed one of the best defensive partnerships ever alongside Puyol, and continued to be a leader and a key part of Barca’s spine for many years until he retired in 2023. The nine-time La Liga champion and four-time Champions League winner certainly deserves his spot here.

LB – David Alaba

Bayern Munich

The Austrian might have faced some stiff competition for the left-back spot had Guardiola spent a couple more months at Camp Nou. As it happened, Guardiola missed Jordi Albi by a matter of months. So, with him not in contention, Alaba easily beats the likes of Eric Abidal and any Man City representation to the spot.

While he line up more centrally nowadays for Real Madrid, the 33-year-old fulfilled a multitude of different duties while in Munich, which didn’t go unnoticed by Guardiola. Perhaps a more underrated player in that team, the manager even hailed him as “God” because of his versatility.

CM – Xavi

Barcelona

Sergio Busquets, Rodri and Fernandinho’s absences here really says everything about how stacked this team is. You simply cannot leave Xavi out of this XI, however. He was the beating heart of Barcelona’s tiki-taka style, dictating play with ease and becoming the metronome of the team for well over a decade.

Widely regarded as one of the best midfielders to ever play the game, the playmaker has legendary status at the Camp Nou, and rightfully so. Two Champions League trophies and three domestic league titles under Guardiola only help to justify his place here further, and he’d definitely walk into almost any hypothetical team.

CM – Andres Iniesta

Barcelona

Well, we weren’t going to have Xavi without his partner in crime, were we? Few teams have had a midfield duo (or trio if you also factor in Busquets) as dominant as Barcelona did when Xavi and Iniesta were in the engine room. The two were a joy to watch and ran games for fun.

Iniesta’s quick feet and incisive passing were just so special, with the Spaniard skipping around players with ease over and over again. He made the game look more like art over the years, with Guardiola even once saying that Iniesta helped him form a better understanding of football. If you’re teaching one of the greatest coaches ever something new, then you have to make this team.

CM – Kevin De Bruyne

Manchester City

What! A! Midfield! Sure, it may not be the most balanced team you’ll ever see, but when you have such a solid defence behind them, who cares. With these three lining up in the middle of the park and an incredible trio in front of them, this team will outscore any opposition they face 10 to one.

De Bruyne’s place here is simply non-negotiable. The man was a creative monster under Pep, who has played a critical role in making the former Chelsea man a Premier League all-time great. With 119 Premier League assists to his name, and also 72 goals, there aren’t many attacking midfielders as dangerous as the Belgian in the sport’s history. He can simply do it all, and has certainly been Guardiola’s best player at the Etihad.

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RW – Lionel Messi

Barcelona

Sorry Arjen Robben and Riyad Mahrez, you two are class. But this position is on lockdown for the GOAT.

Undoubtedly the greatest player that Guardiola has ever coached, Messi is a true phenom, a once in a lifetime player who very few come close to. The pint-sized Argentine has wowed fans ever since bursting into the Barcelona XI, but it was arguably his time under Pep that made him the star he became. Guardiola unlocked Messi’s potential, and in return, success on the Spanish and European stage followed. Arguably the greatest player ever and the greatest manager ever worked in perfect harmony, and Messi was full of praise for his former boss when asked about the impact he had.

ST – Sergio Aguero

Manchester City

Look, we can all appreciate how good Robert Lewandowski was under Guardiola. He played exactly 100 games for the legendary coach at Bayern and was his typically prolific self, scoring 67 goals. We can also applaud Samuel Eto’o for his efforts while at Barcelona. But in our eyes, it comes down to one of two Manchester City players.

And while Erling Haaland might well take the crown in years to come, having already scored a whopping 143 times for City, it’s hard to overlook everything that his predecessor, Aguero, did under Guardiola. You can’t leave that level of potency out of this team.

LW – Thierry Henry

Barcelona

Picking between Henry, and Franck Ribery and Raheem Sterling was tough. The latter two were both exceptional players who enjoyed incredible careers both under Guardiola, with Sterling scoring the third-most goals ever under his guidance. But if we’re talking about the best of the best, then there is no escaping Henry.

His time under Pep at Barcelona only lasted two seasons, but while it was short, it was certainly sweet. 30 goals and 15 assists, along with a Champions League and league title too, only underline his credentials. Sure, Sterling might have scored more over more years, but if we’re talking about who the better player is, there’s little to no reason to include him over Henry.