They say you have to see the world through the eyes of a child. And this was precisely the challenge for Vincent Kompany as he answered curious questions at a children’s press conference.
However, one of his answers stole the show when he revealed who was his toughest opponent during his time as a player at Manchester City. Spoiler: it wasn’t Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.
Kompany named his biggest rival
Before becoming coach of Bayern Munich, Kompany played 621 games (2003-2020) as captain of Manchester City and the Belgian national team.
However, while he is now coaching Harry Kane and company, he fulfilled one of his duties and spoke to the press, albeit a very special one.
Vincent was questioned by the children of the Bayern fan club, who asked him about his favorite food (steak and chips), his favorite color (blue), and whether he also threw balls into his neighbors’ yards as a child (of course he did).
However, one of the questions reminded him of his career as a defender after “Finn” asked him about the toughest opponent he ever faced. Far from what any fan might expect him to answer -like Messi at Barcelona or Argentina, or CR7 at Real Madrid or Manchester United- Kompany chose a former teammate of the Argentine at Barça:
“There were many, but there was one who impressed me more than any other. It was Ronaldinho, do you know him?” Vincent asked the children. He then referred to Leo and Cristiano: “Of course, Messi and Ronaldo are incredibly good, they are probably the best players, but from what I saw in one game, it was Ronaldinho,” he concluded.
Kompany is one of the many players who faced both superstars at club level with Manchester City and with the Belgian national team. Against Messi, the Champions League clashes between Manchester City and Barcelona stand out, as well as the quarter-final match of the 2014 World Cup where Argentina defeated Belgium 1-0. With Cristiano Ronaldo, on the other hand, he maintained a constant rivalry in the Premier League during the Portuguese player’s first spell at Manchester United and in European matches against Real Madrid. However, his chosen opponent was Ronaldinho.
Kompany also highlighted the best coaches he has worked with, and considering he spent 11 years at the Etihad Stadium, it was almost impossible for him not to mention Pep Guardiola, but he also mentioned other figures:
“The best coach I’ve ever had was, of course, Pep Guardiola. He opened my eyes to soccer. I don’t try to do things the same way as Pep. Pep is different, he was the best,” he revealed. “Mancini and Huub Stevens were also good examples: you learn things from all coaches to write your own story,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bayern are leading the Bundesliga with 57 points and will host Frankfurt (seventh with 31 points) at the Allianz Arena on Saturday, February 21.
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