Since Lionel Messi’s departure from Barcelona, the club has faced the challenge of finding new leaders within the squad. One name that has risen to fill that void is goalkeeper Marc–Andre Ter Stegen, who wore the captain’s armband several times. However, the German shot-stopper recently admitted that his relationship with Messi during their years together wasn’t always harmonious.
While recovering from a ruptured patellar tendon, Ter Stegen sat down for an interview with Blind. In the conversation, he reflected on his career and shared insights into his time playing alongside Messi at Barcelona from 2014 to 2021. While the duo secured numerous titles together, including a Champions League trophy, Ter Stegen described the dynamic between them as occasionally tense.
“Leo is a special character, who is at this [high] level because he’s motivated by a lot of things that we don’t see,” Ter Stegen revealed. “There were moments when things didn’t work between us because he was annoyed with me and I was annoyed with him”.
The German keeper didn’t stop there, sharing an anecdote that highlighted Messi’s unique abilities. “I think Leo’s probably the only player that, if he wants to shoot right at your face, he can shoot right at your face,” Ter Stegen laughed. “Other players would probably shoot somewhere else, but he’s got the ability to hit [the target] accurately”.
Marc-André ter Stegen and Lionel Messi after the UEFA Champions League group F match between FC Barcelona and FC Inter. (Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Despite their occasional differences, Ter Stegen was quick to praise Messi’s brilliance on the pitch. “Leo is simply a super impressive character on the pitch and he plays with an ease that you won’t see again, I’m 100% sure of that,” he said. “He has the ability that if he wants to make you look bad [on the pitch], then he does it with such ease and with a pass or a shot that you say afterwards: ‘That was impossible!’”
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Ter Stegen reflects on Messi’s leadership
While Messi is Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer and appearance maker, his leadership style has always stood apart from previous captains like Carles Puyol. Messi’s approach was quieter, leading more by example than with words.
“We were in the dressing room together for a long time, and it was definitely interesting to have him in the team and to see how he leads,” Ter Stegen shared. “Whether it’s my style or not, it was interesting to see. Leo is not a loudspeaker, he works a lot with presence and he doesn’t need to say much, actually”.
Yet when Messi did speak, his words carried immense weight. “When he does say something, everyone listens,” Ter Stegen continued. “And that’s what you actually want to achieve as a captain, that people listen to you and follow you“.
