Before the Premier League season starts, I want to categorically state that I hate Arsenal with all my heart, and I wish them nothing but misery this season
I keep thinking about Pep Guardiola’s famous rant at Nathan Redmond in 2017.
At the time, it looked almost bizarre. Why was Pep screaming at an opposition player after winning a game?
Years later, it makes much more sense. Guardiola isn't simply obsessed with winning. He is simply obsessed with excellence.
He wants the best from his players, his opponents, himself and everybody.
That same man who was screaming at Redmond because he wanted him to attack is the man now revealing how deeply he carries football, how defeats torture him, how much he questions himself and how his personal life has even collided with his work.
This the most fascinating thing about Pep. For him, football isn't just 90 minutes. It is just a way of life.
Perhaps, that is why he can demand so much from Haaland, confront Walker, tear himself apart over team selections and even get frustrated when an opponent isn't giving him everything.
He doesn't just want to beat you, but wants you to be better. That is Guardiola's beautiful obsession, and perhaps also his greatest burden.
Watch this Redmond rant again with that context. It really hits differently now.
🗣 Zlatan Ibrahimovic – "Cristiano was shouting 'I'm back' after scoring against Uzbekistan. That's nice. But against Colombia he played the whole game, had one shot, scored zero goals, and finished with a 0-0 draw."
🗣 "Then I watched Messi. He didn't even start the match against Jordan. He came on after 60 minutes, looked at the free-kick, and did what only geniuses do.
Goal, Match won."
🗣 “Another record broken. Seven consecutive World Cup matches with a goal.That's the difference."
🗣 "Some players tell the world they're back. Messi never left."
🗣 "While others are busy making announcements, Messi is busy making history. At 39 years old, he walks onto the pitch and treats football like it's a training session.Free-kicks, records, trophies, goals — just another day at the office."
🗣 "Greatness doesn't need a microphone.
Greatness wears No.10 for Argentina." 🐐🇦🇷👑🔥
Different generation man. In year 8 someone showed my a Liveleaks video from Brazil of a man’s head being blown off on a Blackberry Bold and I just had to firm it 😭😭😭😭😭
🗣️ Luka Modrić🎙️ “Before El Clásico, Zidane asked me: ‘Do you have any idea how to stop Messi?’
I told him: ‘Of course we just won’t let him get the ball.’
Before the match I felt confident. Casemiro was beside me, Ramos was behind me, the plan was clear. Then the game started… Messi went past one, two, three players like nothing. I looked at Zidane he was smiling and shaking his head. ❤🤯
🎙️ “After the final whistle he came to me and said: ‘Messi got the ball. That’s it.’
We both laughed, because there is no tactic to stop him unless you can stop time itself.
In the end, I understood one thing:
You can’t stop Messi you can only watch him make history.” 🐐👑🔥💙