Back in 2019, Lionel Messi revealed that he would have liked to play more with Ronaldinho at Barcelona. La Pulga rose through the ranks at Camp Nou before breaking into the senior team in the 2004-05 season.
What did Lionel Messi say about Ronaldinho?
The Argentine got his debut against Espanyol in October 2004, when Barcelona was being managed by Frank Rijkaard. Lionel Messi scored his first goal for Barcelona on May 1, 2005 which was assisted by none other than Ronaldinho.
Both of them shared great chemistry on the field as they played 80 games together and scored eight goals together. While speaking to TyC Sports, Messi revealed how the Brazilian had helped him settle with the senior team.
Ronaldinho helped me a lot. I came into the dressing room at 16-17 years of age, seeing all those footballing giants made it tough, said Messi.
But he mentored me and made me feel comfortable, and I loosened up. Afterwards on the pitch, I always looked for him but we didn't have many years to enjoy together. Besides, we didn't play as much at that time. I would have liked to play more with Ronaldinho, Messi added.
During his time at Barcelona, Ronaldinho scored 94 goals and had 69 assists from the 207 games he featured for the Catalans. He left the club in 2008, when he moved to AC Milan after passing on the baton to Messi.
Will Lionel Messi return to Barcelona?
According to reporter Maximiliano Grillo, Barcelona are eyeing to sign Lionel Messi after the 2026 FIFA World Cup. His contract with Inter Miami will finish at the end of the year as a move this summer looks unlikely.
The Catalans are planning to re-sign him in the summer of 2026, just in time for the inauguration of the new Camp Nou. Messi is expected to stay at Inter Miami this season and could even look to extend his stay for another year in order to prepare for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
The prestigious event will take place in United States, Mexico and Canada. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner will have the chance to defend his title and add more silverware to his already packed trophy collection. His future beyond the 2026 World Cup is in doubt as Inter Miami will look to secure his services until the end of next year, which could disrupt the Catalans' plans.