In a conversation with young fans of Bayern, the Bavarians' coach, Vincent Kompany, spoke openly about his playing career. While he acknowledged that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are probably the best players of their generation, Kompany surprised with some of his answers, such as the toughest opponent he had to mark. "Messi and Ronaldo are phenomena, but Ronaldinho impressed me the most in a game. Do you know him?" asked Kompany, aware that younger generations may have grown up with other stars. When asked about his current sporting ambitions, the Belgian coach did not hesitate: "Bayern is the path I want to follow. The goal is to win everything there is to be won." Kompany also revealed that a former star of Milan and Chelsea is his great idol. "Do you know Marcel Desailly? He is probably one of those legendary cards in the FIFA game. He was my idol. A strong defender who also won the World Cup with France and was a great inspiration." When asked about the best coach of his career, the answer was clear: Pep Guardiola. Kompany was captain of Manchester City under the leadership of the former Barcelona and Bayern coach. However, Guardiola's prominent position was "not necessarily" linked to tactics, "but rather to mentality." "He had an absolute will to win everything. Every game was important. It didn't matter if we were playing against our main rival or a second division team. Everything is equally important." In addition to Guardiola, he also learned from two other coaches. Roberto Mancini taught him how to play in a four-man defense at City. Meanwhile, Huub Stevens coached Kompany at Hamburg. "Huub Stevens was very, very strict with the players. He demanded a lot, both physically and mentally. And that is also an example for me." Kompany joined Bayern last season, having won the Bundesliga. As a player, he represented Anderlecht, Manchester City, and Hamburg.
Vincent Kompany Lionel Messi remains central to this story.
Vincent Kompany Lionel Messi remains central to this story.
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