According to Josko Gvardiol, Lionel Messi is “completely different player” from every opponent he has ever faced in his career.
The Argentina star helped seal a 3-0 World Cup semi-final win over Gvardiol’s Croatia with a glorious in assist in which Messi skilfully beat the defender to tee up Julian Alvarez.
The RB Leipzig player Gvardiol was considered as one of the tournament’s stars going into the final four.
A rising star in European football, Chelsea and Manchester City are both keen on a move for the 20-year-old, while Real Madrid have been linked with a £78m move.
Still, even one of the most highly rated defenders on the continent could prove no match for Messi. He drove up the right flank and twisted his marker inside out before rolling the ball to Alvarez for a simple tap in.
If you’re a coach, you tell Gvardiol that he did very well. Stood his ground, didn’t put his foot in, forced him outside, made sure not to foul. Everything you’re taught to do.
But then, in a few seconds, Lionel Messi destroys your entire belief systempic.twitter.com/u8eO1PNGhJ
— Luis Miguel Echegaray (@lmechegaray) December 14, 2022
What Gvardiol Said About Messi
The Croatian defence had been breached only three times heading into Tuesday’s semi-final but another talismanic performance from Messi, the tournament’s top scorer, saw the 2018 finalists condemned to Saturday’s third-place playoff against Morocco.
Of the game, Gvardiol said: “It was a nice experience even though I played against him in the club last season.
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“He is a completely different type of player in the club and in the national team.
“I am glad that I played against him even though we lost.
“But today and tomorrow I will be able to tell the children that I guarded Messi for 90 minutes. I guess we will beat him next time.”
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