Lionel Messi names his two biggest influences at FC Barcelona | OneFootball

There is no doubt that Lionel Messi is one of the biggest legends of FC Barcelona, irrespective of the way his departure from the Catalan club took place.

The Argentine superstar spent 21 years of his life at the Blaugrana club, starting at the age of 13, and lived through some of the most memorable periods of the club’s history, himself contributing significantly to making these moments happen.

As Mundo Deportivo has reported, the former Barcelona star remembered his time at Barcelona, as he appeared in an interview. One of the most interesting part of this interview was him identifying two individuals who had the most impact on him during his time at the Blaugrana club:

“I believe there are two people who influenced me greatly for different reasons. Pep (Guardiola), because I had him as a coach for many years, and we achieved incredible things that we could never have imagined. And Ronaldinho, for how he welcomed me, how he helped me—it was incredibly valuable in my early days with the first team.”

It is easy to understand why Messi chose these two individuals. Pep Guardiola was the coach during one of Barcelona’s most successful periods in history, and with him, La Pulga won 2 UEFA Champions League, 3 La Ligas, 2 Copa del Reys, 3 Spanish Super Cups, 2 Club World Cups, and 2 European Super Cups.

Similarly, Messi made his way into a team that was led by Ronaldinho at that time, and with the Brazilian star, the Argentine won 2 La Ligas, 1 UCL, and 2 Spanish Super Cups.

Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images

In addition to these 2 individuals, Messi also named some other players and a coach who had a deep impact on his time as a Barcelona player:

“I also fondly remember Andrés (Iniesta) and Xavi as teammates, as well as the three who are now with me in Miami (Busquets, Alba, and Suárez), who are also dear friends. And, of course, a special mention for Tito Vilanova, whom we miss so much.”

All of these individuals have not only influenced Messi but also marked a very delightful time in the club’s history. Xavi, Iniesta, and Busquets formed one of the best midfield partnerships, not only in the club’s history, but also in football at large. Similarly, Tito Vilanova was the coach with whom the team won a league title with a record 100 points.