Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi has picked his best ever career goal against Manchester United in the 2009 Champions League final in Rome.

The 32-year-old Argentina international help the La Liga Champions secured what was his second European Cup success after he headed the second goal when he rose highest above Rio Ferdinand to head into the top right corner, easily beating Edwin van der Sar in the 2-0 win over Red Devils’ Alex Ferguson on the night. Messi is widely regarded to be the best player of his generation, having won numerous titles and individual awards in his highly successful career speaking on Wednesday when asked his all-time favorite goal as he told  RAC1.”I said it many times, the one in Rome in the final against Manchester United,””Maradona was our coach and it was before the 2010 World Cup when they became champions. It was one of the matches that surprised me the most.”And asked about the toughest defences he has come up against, Messi pinpointed his matches against Premier League opposition.

He said: “I could not name any in particular, but there were hard teams, such as the English who were very physical and strong. Football [against them] becomes more tactical and hard.”Messi was also full of praise for Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, with the pair enjoying a tremendous amount of success during the Spanish manager’s time in charge at Camp Nou between 2008 and 2012.”Guardiola is the best of all. Luis Enrique is a very close [second],” he revealed. And the best moment of his career? “It is difficult to choose one.”I was fortunate to live many at different stages of my life but I think the Guardiola era was one of my best moments.”Messi is not showing signs of slowing down anytime soon and is getting back to his best following a niggling injury that kept him out of Barcelona’s opening matches.