Leo Messi has always been a perfect player for FC Barcelona. A player who was more than just a player, in a club whose motto is ‘mes que un club’. Leo not only dominated games but also helped the Blaugrana on the pitch, consistently playing a fantastic role in making his teammates better. He turned wingers into goal scorers, fullbacks into playmakers, and failures into success. La Pulga’s mere presence at Barcelona elevated those around him in ways no other player could. Let’s discuss how he did it.
How Messi Turned Pedro & Alexis into Elite Scorers
Pedro Rodriguez and Alexis Sanchez were talented young players, and their early days showed both players could make a nice mark. However, no one ever thought they’d become world-class players, who would destroy teams single-handedly by playing alongside Messi. This fact was evident because as soon as both players left Barcelona, their game significantly declined.
Pedro’s 23-goal season in 2010-11 might be the best tenure of his career. The versatile Spanish winger featured regularly with Messi and scored a ton of goals. Leo used to draw defenders in, making spaces for Pedro, and kept slipping him perfect passes on a silver platter. Alexis Sanchez also went on from being an inconsistent winger to a significant threat, as Leo would always know exactly when to release him. Messi’s creativity helped both of these players achieve the peaks of their careers and enjoy football at their dream clubs.
Messi Helped Suárez and Neymar Become Legends
When Luis Suarez arrived at Barca as a top striker, it was the most defining moment of his career. He now had the chance to feature with Messi, and the little genius made Suarez legendary. Their chemistry produced 131 combined goals in 2015-16, in which we could often see Messi sacrificing his own stats to set up Suarez. Leo even assisted a penalty to Suarez, once in a La Liga game against Celta Vigo in 2016.
But it wasn’t just Suarez; Neymar flourished under Leo, too. The Argentine helped his Brazilian teammate settle into the new atmosphere of Barcelona. He regularly gave him penalties and created chances to boost his confidence. As a result, Neymar flourished and went on to become one of the best attackers in Barca’s history. The Brazilian always appreciates Leo’s assistance to him in his early Barca days in great words.
Xavi & Iniesta Thrived with Messi’s Movement, But Alba Became a Proper Winger
Barcelona was gifted with some of the most talented midfielders of the past decade, including the likes of Xavi and Iniesta. However, even the genius duo looked better with Messi. The number 10’s creative runs made spaces for Xavi’s killer passes, and his positioning gave Iniesta more options and freedom. They indeed made Messi better, but the reverse was equally true. A good example is the 2011 UCL dominance, where Leo demonstrated how he could amplify even the most brilliant midfield.
The Barcelona full-back Jordi Alba has always been a quick and flashy left-back. However, his connection with Leo made him so formidable that their duo was able to destroy even the best defenses. Messi used to feed Alba with those signature diagonal balls, and then the Spaniard would return the favor in the box. This made Alba into an assist machine, as he had 8+ assists in multiple seasons. Both players are still enjoying similar success at Inter Miami these days. What a story!
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