Lionel Messi highlights his two most influential figures in Barcelona but makes special mention of a third

Barcelona legend Lionel Messi recently sat down with MD for a rare interview, and the Argentine’s word remains gospel in Catalonia. Having noted how much he misses the Camp Nou fans, he chose two people who had the biggest impact on him while he was at the club.

Messi arrived at Barcelona aged just 13 with his family and spent 21 years at the club before his contract expired in 2021 and he joined Paris Saint-Germain. Messi, who debuted with Barcelona’s first team in 2004, scored 672 goals and gave 303 assists in just 778 games, becoming the best in its history.

“I think there are two that marked me a lot for different reasons. Pep, because I had him as a coach for many years and we achieved incredible things that we would never have imagined.”

Lionel Messi: “I would love to see Barça win the League, the Copa del Rey and also the Champions League again.” @mundodeportivo pic.twitter.com/c55M9CXkvg

— Barcacentre (@barcacentre) December 6, 2024

“And Ronaldinho, because the way he received me, how he helped me, he helped me a lot in my first moments in the first team. I also remember a lot of Andrés (Iniesta) or Xavi as teammates, and the three who play with me here in Miami (Busquets, Alba and Suárez), who are also friends. And of course, a special mention for Tito Vilanova, who we miss very much.”

Barcelona set a La Liga points record under Tito Vilanova in the 2012-13 season, which was tragically cut short by throat cancer that would ultimately cause him to pass away in 2014 at the age of 55. Vilanova had trained Lionel Messi, Gerard Piqué and Cesc Fábregas in the Masia youth academy also when they were teenagers.