“He had that magic, that party, that joy” - Rafa Marquez snubs Lionel Messi as best-ever Barcelona teammate
Rafa Marquez has snubbed Lionel Messi when naming the best player he played alongside during his days at Barcelona. The former Mexico defender picked Ronaldinho, with whom he spent five years at Camp Nou, ahead of the Argentine.
Although Marquez recognizes Leo's incredible talent, he believes Ronnie stands out due to his incredible skills.
Lionel Messi:
🗣️ “Ronaldinho was responsible for the change in Barca. It was a bad time. In the first year, he didn’t win anything, but people fell in love with him. Then the trophies started coming and he made everyone happy. We should always be grateful for everything he did.” https://t.co/AtaMAhmueJ
"Ronaldinho," the former Barcelona centre-back responded when asked to pick between the two South American playmakers. He said:
"I saw Ronaldinho had different capacities, obviously Messi is an incredible player but Ronaldinho had that magic, that party, that joy. Whenever you thought he was going to do something, he comes out with something else, that makes him different."
Rafa Marquez also opened up on his relationship with Lionel Messi, noting that the pair got along despite not being very good friends.
He explained:
"The relationship was very good, we were not very good friends to say, but inside the dressing room, it was always a cordial relationship. We were almost the same style of character, he was quiet and I was quiet too. But on the pitch we transformed, we were different but I always got along with Leo."
🎙 [MD] | Rafa Márquez: “It was great to see Messi and Ronaldinho play from at the back”
🔴 The Mexican center-back, Barcelona player between 2003 and 2010, values that "I feel lucky to have been part of the resurgence of Barça" https://t.co/5T1u4mUaW7
Rafa Marquez is indeed lucky to have played alongside two of the greatest players in history during his time at Barcelona. The Mexican arrived at Camp Nou alongside Ronaldinho in 2003 and the duo spent five successful years in the Catalan capital.
He also witnessed the rise of a young Lionel Messi, who rose through the youth ranks at the club and established himself at the pinnacle of the game.
Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi: The tale of two Barcelona kings
Barcelona had little expectation of Ronaldinho when they signed him after missing out on David Beckham in 2003. However, the Brazilian became a huge success at Camp Nou, establishing himself as the king of world football in the mid-2000s.
After leading the Blaugrana to claim several trophies, it was time to pass on the torch to a young Lionel Messi. The Argentine inherited the number 10 jersey from Ronnie, as he led the club into its most successful era, delivering a whopping 35 trophies.