Manchester City defender Joško Gvardiol has opened up about the experience of playing against Ghanaian forward Mohammed Kudus, describing the West Ham star as a player with the tools to become a global football star.

Speaking to Manchester City media about his first season in the Premier League, Gvardiol said it did not take long for Kudus to make an impression on him after coming on as a substitute in their maiden encounter on September 16, 2023.

Gvardiol said that in the brief spell, Kudus had on the field, he gave him a tough time and wowed him with his pace and trickery.

Reflecting on their last encounter, which was the final game of the 2023/2024 season, Gvardiol remembered Kudus’s bicycle kick, indicating his impression with the skill.

“Mohammed Kudus from West Ham was my toughest opponent. In the first game, he was on the bench, and when he came on for the last twenty minutes, he was on my side.

“I realized that he was quite good. He looks sharp and was good on the ball. In the second game of the season, he even scored a bicycle kick. He was the one I struggled against,” he said.

The Croatian defender sent a message to Kudus, wishing him an excellent 2024/2025 season and praying that the Ghanaian will establish himself as one of the world’s best players.

“I think he is the one who deserves attention, and I believe this season he’s going to come out and show his quality,” he said.

Kudus enjoyed a stellar debut season in England, hitting 14 goals and six assists across all competitions.

@thecittizenz Joško Gvardiol interview talks about his Toughest opponent player he faced last season💙#JoškoGvardiol #Gvardiol #mancity #interview #football #fypviral #foryou ♬ original sound - 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗭𝗘𝗡𝗭✌︎