Is Pep Guardiola the man to replace Lionel Messi as MLS’s crown jewel?

The former Manchester City manager is always interested in fresh challenges. Taking on another continent could be tempting as he embarks on a new chapter Where do you go after Lionel Messi, Major League Soccer? ? This is not just a question MLS will ponder, but one soccer in general has been thinking about for some time. It has led to a desperate trend of labelling every promising youngster the ‘next Messi’, but such was (and remarkably still is) the Argentinian’s quality, that there may not be another player at his level for decades. There may never be one. Continue reading...

James Nalton · Tue, May 26, 2026, 2:00 AM
US news | The Guardian

Is Pep Guardiola the man to replace Lionel Messi as MLS’s crown jewel?

The former Manchester City manager is always interested in fresh challenges. Taking on another continent could be tempting as he embarks on a new chapter

Where do you go after Lionel Messi, Major League Soccer? ?

This is not just a question MLS will ponder, but one soccer in general has been thinking about for some time. It has led to a desperate trend of labelling every promising youngster the ‘next Messi’, but such was (and remarkably still is) the Argentinian’s quality, that there may not be another player at his level for decades. There may never be one.

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