Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has named Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and Spain national team coach Luis Enrique the two best managers he has played under.

Messi said both Guardiola and Enrique made him grow a lot physically, mentally, and tactically.

The Argentine captain played under Guardiola and Enrique during their time at Barcelona between 2008-2012 and 2014-2017 respectively.

“Pep Guardiola has something special,” Messi told Spanish Television channel, La Sexta recently.

“He makes you see things in one way: how he prepares for matches, defensively, how to attack … he told you exactly how the match was going to be, how you had to attack to win.

“I was lucky … to train under Guardiola and Luis Enrique, the two best managers in the world.

“Having them made me grow a lot physically and mentally, and also the tactical wisdom they have taught me.”

Incidentally, Rafael Marquez, the Mexican great and the first Mexican to have played for Barcelona, winning four La Liga and two Champions League titles revealed he often used to have tussle with Argentine icon during the training at Barcelona. Marquez played for Barcelona from 2003 till 2010. 

Marquez, who currently works as an assistant with his national side, Mexico recalled that Messi was a little arrogant and Pep Guardiola was seen as quite biased toward him, especially in training. But that did not mean Messi was always favored. “Yes, in a five-a-side game," Marquez replied when asked if he clashed with Messi during his time in Spain. "He was on my team and of course, Messi had the ball. He had the goal to shoot and he didn't shoot.

“We were losing and we said to him: 'Messi, shoot, Messi, score a goal'. Nothing. Until I got furious and shouted at him: 'Messi, let go of the ball, brother.' Then he approached and answered me. Pep arrived and said: 'Messi, shut up. You have to respect Rafa's hierarchy.'