Not long ago, during an interview with Titan Sports, Lionel Messi named his top ten favorite teammates. As you can imagine, the list is filled with some of the world's best footballing talents.
Not surprisingly, all of the ones Messi ticked off played with him at Barcelona.
“I was lucky to play for a long time at Barcelona… with many of the best players,” said Messi.
“Like Ronaldinho, Deco, Eto'o, Suarez, Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta, [Sergio] Busquets, I was lucky enough to play with the best players and enjoy the game with them. Speaking of which, I almost forgot about Neymar because there are so many people.
“There must be many players I forgot to mention. I've been lucky enough to play with the best players, with the best strikers. Like Neymar, Eto'o, Suarez, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic and [David] Villa and many more.”
Samuel Eto'o
Messi found in Eto'o not just a lethal striker but also a mentor on and off the pitch. Together, they formed a deadly attacking duo, with Eto'o's powerful clinical finishing complementing Messi's creative and dribbling ability. Their partnership, along with Thierry Henry, culminated in Barcelona's treble-winning 2008/09 season.
Deco
Deco's intelligence and ability to dictate the game's pace in the midfield complemented Messi's natural flair and agility. The combination resulted in Barcelona's dominance in La Liga and the 2005/06 Champions League title.
Xavi
Before he coached the Catalan giants, midfield maestro Xavi played the iconic tika taka football with Messi and co. Xavi's ability to read the game and Messi's instinctive movements created a synergy integral to Barcelona's era-defining success.
Their telepathy on the pitch led to a bucket of trophies, including seven La Liga titles, four Champions League, and three Copa del Reys.
Iniesta
Also enshrined in the glory days of Barcelona is Andres Iniesta and Messi's partnership. The two were the ultimate cheat code, feeding off each other for assists and goals. Seeing Iniesta on stage with Messi and Xavi at the Ballon d'Or became a familiar site.
Iniesta and Xavi combined to assist 68 goals of Messi at Barcelona, 10% of his 672 strike output for the Blaugrana.
Sergio Busquets
Sergio Busquets takes a special place on Messi's list — the Spaniard is one of two former Barcelona players who have suited up with Messi at Inter Miami. Busquets and Messi are still winning trophies together, helping secure Miami's first-ever silverware in the 2023 Leagues Cup. Of course, that pales in comparison to the glory days at Camp Nou, where they combined with multiple La Liga titles and Champions League triumphs.
Photo: Twitter/BarcaUniversal
