Pep Guardiola praised Boca's fighting spirit and defended South American soccer.

Pep Guardiolaonce again demonstrated his appreciation for South American soccer after an intense round in the group stage of the Club World Cup. The Manchester City coach took a moment to  praise the competitive level of the continent's teams and, in particular, the attitude of Boca.

"I love when in this tournament you play against South American teams, how they challenge you, how they compete. I admire how they defend," said the Catalan coach at a press conference, visibly impressed by the intensity of the competition.

Guardiola was especially impressed by the Argentine team's commitment against Bayern Munich: "Look at Boca, how they go for every ball... it's like wow, the end of the world." The phrase reflected his admiration for Xeneize's fighting spirit.

Additionally, the former Barcelona coach highlighted the parity of the tournament: "They're different styles. I like that every match is tough. Except for one or two, all the matches are close." Faced with the surprise caused by some results, he did not hesitate to respond with irony: "People say: 'What a surprise, a European team lost!' Oh yes, welcome to real football, friends."

Once again, Guardiola made it clear that for him, soccer is defined beyond budgets: what matters is the commitment, the passion, and the soul with which you play.

What's next for City

The Manchester team will face Al Ain this Sunday at 10:00 p.m. for the second matchday of Group G in the Club World Cup. The match will be played at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with Algerian referee Mustapha Ghorbal officiating.

The English side will look to secure qualification after the initial victory against Wydad Casablanca, while the Emiratis arrive in need after being thrashed by Juventus and could be eliminated if they lose.