Mendy: Guardiola the best manager in the world

Mendy: Guardiola the best manager in the world

Manchester City full-back Benjamin Mendy has revealed that Pep Guardiola’s wife played a big part in him moving from Monaco to the Etihad last summer.

Mendy joined City in a £52m move, and while the Frenchman has insisted there is no better manager in the world then Guardiola, he has also revealed how the Spaniard’s wife played a key role in him making his move.

Writing in the Players’ Tribune, Mendy told of how he would regularly chat with Guardiola and his wife via Whatsapp before making his big money move.


“When I was considering signing with Man City last year, Pep and I started to message each other on WhatsApp,” he said.

“I was not only chatting with Pep, but also with his wife — because she was helping him with his French. With Pep, it felt like I was talking to family, not to a coach.”

Mendy also singled out Guardiola’s managerial nous as the best he has ever seen, with the ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager guiding City to a record 100 point tally last season in the Premier League.

“My life has been shaped by managers, maybe you’ve noticed. I think this is true for most footballers — for good and bad.

“For me, I have just been lucky to have played under some of the best. And there is nobody better than Pep.

“Of course, Pep is the kind of manager players always dream of playing for. But what I’ve learned about life from Pep has been more important than anything I’ve learned about football.”