Lionel Messi has broken his silence and responded to the recent challenge launched by his former manager Pep Guardiola. The Manchester City boss suggested that Erling Haaland could compete with the goalscoring records set by Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, creating a wave of expectations in the football world.

Guardiola made the comments after Haaland scored his 10th Premier League hat-trick for Manchester City, prompting the manager to claim that the Norwegian striker has the potential to reach the impressive goal-scoring numbers that Messi and Ronaldo have achieved throughout their careers.

In a recent interview, when asked about Guardiola’s remarks, Messi responded in his characteristically calm and modest style: “It is always an honour to be mentioned in comparison with the best players in the world. Haaland is an incredible player, and I am sure he will achieve great things. However, every player has his own path and his own challenges.”

Messi continued: “The most important thing is to enjoy the game and give your best in every match. Records and numbers are secondary; what really counts is the passion and love for football.”

With this response, Messi once again demonstrated his humility and focus on the game, avoiding any kind of confrontation and showing respect for both Guardiola and Haaland. As the season progresses, football fans will be watching closely to see how this “competition” between the giants of the sport evolves.