Ranking the 5 greatest forwards to play under Pep Guardiola

#3 Thierry Henry (Barcelona)

Henry was purchased by Barcelona for €24 million

In Thierry Henry, Pep Guardiola inherited one of the best players of the 2000s, substantially easing his recruitment process. With the aforementioned Eto'o and Lionel Messi as his attacking partners, Henry greatly improved upon his debut campaign.

In Barcelona's treble-winning 2008-09 season, Henry contributed with 26 goals and 11 assists from the left-flank, establishing his place in Pep Guardiola's first team. The Frenchman would go on to play one more season under the Catalan mastermind, registering a total of 30 goals and 15 assists in 74 appearances.

The emergence of Pedro and Pep Guardiola's tendency to prefer budding talent over superstars in decline resulted in Henry's departure from the club in 2010. Regardless, the French legend remains one of the best attacking players that Guardiola has ever coached.

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#2 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Lewandowski should've won the Ballon d'Or in 2020

Having consistently maintained his goalscoring rate, Robert Lewandowski has upgraded his game extensively in the past few years. The Polish talisman has surpassed every other player on the planet in terms of creating an impact and racking up unbelievable stats with Bayern Munich.

Lewandowski arrived at the Allianz Arena a year after Pep Guardiola. However, the seasoned veteran wasted no time in adjusting to life in Bavaria, scoring prolifically from the get-go. In 100 games under Pep Guardiola, the clinical forward was able to produce 67 goals and 19 assists.

Regarded as one of the best free transfers in the history of football, Lewandowski's addition instantly improved Bayern Munich's overall gameplay. The foundations laid by Pep Guardiola are now visible to the whole world as the 33-year-old striker has blossomed into one of the best forwards of his generation.

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#1 Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

Messi was unplayable under Guardiola

Who else but Lionel Messi to dominate a list concerning top forwards. The Argentine owes his debut to Frank Rijkaard. But it was Pep Guardiola who truly unleashed the goalscoring beast we love and adore today.

The Spanish manager made La Pulga the focal point of his offensive line, allowing him full freedom to create as well as finish attacks. Messi thrived under Pep Guardiola, scoring a mind-boggling 211 goals in just 219 appearances. He was also able to hone his innovative skills under the Catalan, laying out 92 assists in Guardiola's tenure.

In an instance where both the player and manager benefited from each other's greatness, Pep Guardiola remains the coach under whom Messi has scored the most goals. The 50-year-old mastermind has never shied away from praising his creation, crediting him at every possible opportunity.

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