The early years of Lionel Messi at FC Barcelona still hold plenty of fascinating stories. Former Barcelona player Andrea Orlandi, who was at the club between 2005 and 2007, recently revealed a recurring dressing-room scene involving Ronaldinho and the future Argentine superstar.
Believe it or not, there was a time when Lionel Messi was just a young player trying to earn his place. Back then, Ronaldinho was the undisputed star at Barça. Speaking on the HProject podcast, Orlandi recalled how the Brazilian would regularly ask Messi to prepare his coffee, playfully reminding the youngster that he still had a lot to prove.
Ronaldinho’s Mentorship of Messi
“Ronaldinho would ask him how many World Cups he had played in before telling him to make the coffee,” Orlandi explained. What sounded like a joke was actually part of a mentor-student relationship that helped shape Messi’s early development.
According to the former Barcelona midfielder, Ronaldinho was determined to guide and protect the young Argentine. “There was a connection. When two players understand each other and see similar potential, the experienced one tries to guide the younger player. There was genuine affection. Ronaldinho was kind to everyone, but he would tell Messi: ‘One day, you’ll be able to sit at my table.’”
The story perfectly captures the unique bond between the two men at a time when Ronaldinho was still ruling world football and Messi was only beginning his journey at the highest level. The rest, as they say, is history.
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