Pep Guardiola Names Best Free-Kick Taker In The World Right Now, Snubs Lionel Messi

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has said Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse is the best free-kick taker in the world.

Guardiola has worked with Lionel Messi at Barcelona but he believes Ward-Prowse is the best he has ever seen.

Ward-Prowse has converted 11 direct free-kicks in the last five seasons, only Messi has more with 20.

But Guardiola told a press conference on Friday: “There is no better taker.

“Southampton have the best free-kick taker I have ever seen, or at least he is in the world right now.”

“He is so good that maybe you miss a little bit of the football player. He is a team player of great quality, without the ball and with the ball.

“He really understands the game but it is his free-kicks, set-pieces, and corners that people pay more attention to.”

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss was speaking before his Manchester City side’s game against Southampton at St Mary’s on Saturday.

The Premier League leaders would go on to draw the encounter 1-1 as the Saints end City’s 12 game winning streak in the Premier League.