Ronaldinho insists he knew Lionel Messi would become 'the best' during his Barcelona youth team days - and rubbishes suggestion he was a bad influence on Argentine sensation

Ronaldinho has claimed that he knew Lionel Messi would become «the best» after watching him during his Barcelona youth team days.

WHAT HAPPENED? The Brazilian stands vindicated as Messi was crowned thebest men's player on the planet for the eighth time on Monday, as a reward for his performances during Argentina's glorious 2022 World Cup campaign. Ronaldinho was a mentor to 19-year-old Messi at Barcelona as he started earning his stripes with the Camp Nou club, and the duo forged a close bond under Frank Rijkaard.Ronaldinho even went to watch Messi play while the Argentine was still part of La Masia set-up, and was left in no doubt how far he would go in the game.

WHAT THEY SAID: “Me, Deco and the whole team had been following Leo since the youth team, going to watch his games,” Ronaldinho told The Athletic. “We already expected that he would be the best.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Ronaldinho was sold by Barcelona after Pep Guardiola's appointment as head coach in 2008, and it has been suggested that the Brazilian was a bad influence on Messi. However, Spanish football journalist Graham Hunter said in his book 'Barca: The Making Of The Greatest Team In The World', that Ronaldinho and other senior players like Deco and Samuel Eto'o treated Messi «like he was family.»

When pressed on the notion that he might have led Messi astray, Ronaldinho added to The Athletic: «That makes no sense.»

This page contains affiliate links. When you subscribe through the links provided, we may earn a commission.

Sign up here for MLS Season Pass through Apple TV and watch every MLS match, including Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami!

IN TWO PHOTOS:

WHAT NEXT? Messi, who now plies his club trade at Inter Miami in MLS, will return to action with Argentina during