Josko Gvardiol names 2 Premier League stars alongside Lionel Messi as his toughest ever opponents

Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol has named Lionel Messi as one of the Top 3 toughest opponents he's ever faced. He named Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland as the other two.

Gvardiol, 23, is widely regarded as one of the best defenders of this generation, especially following his performances for Croatia. His performances at the 2022 FIFA World Cup saw Manchester City spend around €90 million to sign him from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023.

In an interview with ESPN UK, Gvardiol was asked to name the Top 3 toughest opponents he has ever faced. He instantly picked Lionel Messi as the first name. He has faced the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner twice.

In the 2021-22 season, Gvardiol's RB Leipzig lost 3-2 against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the UEFA Champions League group stage. Meanwhile, at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 in the semi-finals, with Lionel Messi scoring a penalty. La Albiceleste went on to win the trophy.

Gvardiol then picked Mohamed Salah as the second name on his list. The two have faced off just once, as Manchester City lost 2-0 against Liverpool last season. He then picked his now-teammate Erling Haaland as the third player on the list.

The two players have been on opposing teams three times. In the 2021-22 season, Leipzig beat Haaland's Borussia Dortmund 4-1 in the Bundesliga. In the 2022-23 season, Manchester City hammered Leipzig 8-1 on aggregate in the Champions League Round of 16.

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When Josko Gvardiol hailed Lionel Messi as his idol while speaking about his goalscoring form

Gvardiol has made 103 appearances for Manchester City, scoring 11 goals and providing seven assists. In the early 2024-25 season, he scored two goals in three games. When asked about it, he hailed Lionel Messi as his idol and explained that he used to play in multiple positions as a kid.

The Croatian defender told Sky Sports:

"My idol was Messi. When you are a defender for 10-15 years you get sick of it!" "... When I was younger, I used to play everywhere on the pitch, even a striker, winger, holding midfielder, attacking midfielder. I feel comfortable no matter where I play, and I find myself many times in this left pocket because the manager wants me to be there."

Lionel Messi's goalscoring prowess, meanwhile, is still strong at 38. He's contributed 32 goals and 17 assists in 41 games across competitions for Inter Miami this season.

Edited by Aditya Singh