Lionel Messi's Former Teammate Reveals When He 'Wasn't Happy' At Barcelona

Lionel Messi had to "score all the time" at Barcelona or he "wasn't happy", a former teammate of the Argentine GOAT has revealed. World Cup winner Samuel Umtiti worked with the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner at Camp Nou and got to witness up close the relentless drive that carries the very best in the business to the top of the global game.

Umtiti moved to Camp Nou in 2016 and remained in Catalunya through to the end of Messi’s spell on Barca’s books in 2021. He saw the all-time great find the target on at least 30 occasions across five successive seasons — with the 50-goal barrier being broken in a couple of campaigns.

Messi helped Barcelona to La Liga and Copa del Rey triumphs during that era, with the most decorated player in history always striving for perfection. He is a humble character, which helps team-mates to feel comfortable in his presence, and sets individual standards that others aspire to emulate.

Former France international Umtiti has told The Elevate House of Messi’s mindset: "As a person, he is top. You realize that even if you have won everything, it is useless to believe you are superior.

"There is only one, it’s Leo. At all levels. He alone is capable of winning a game, and very few can do that. If we won 4-0 and he didn’t score, he wasn’t happy. In his head, it was clear: he had to score all the time. That’s the sign of the big ones."

Umtiti, who won the World Cup in 2018 while on Barcelona’s books, added on what makes magical Messi special: "[He] is a killer in front of the goal. He knew exactly when to accelerate and when to slow down the game. He is always looking left and right, checking everyone’s positioning. He always has a time advantage. There is no recipe to defend Leo, he is