Guardiola won the Best Male Coach in the World award on Monday during The Best FIFA Awards 2023 ceremony in London.
The Spaniard led City to a historic triple last season, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
City has lifted the Premier League in five of Guardiola’s seven seasons as manager, but last season’s Champions League victory was the club’s first in history.
However, the 52-year-old has before led a squad to treble. He accomplished the same milestone with his Barcelona squad from 2008-09, which is generally regarded as the greatest club side of all time.
That team included Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Carles Puyol. City’s success last season drew similarities to the legendary team, with Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland, Rodri and John Stones among the important players.
So, which treble-winning team was better?
As Guardiola received his trophy, event host Thierry Henry asked him the same question. Guardiola considered the question for a split-second before placing his head in his hands and simply saying, “F***.”
He then added, “I don’t know…it would be a good game! We will see who is the manager [in the opposite dugout]. Both are incredible teams. That team in Barcelona was incredible, we were so young. But this team in England, in the Premier League, is really tough and competitive for many competitions. These guys, season by season by season, even this season after winning the treble they are still there. Just being with them [the players], not winning or losing but just being with them, is the best award I can get as a manager, by far.”