Former Spanish striker David Villa said he has never seen a player comparable to Lionel Messi, whom he considers the best footballer in the world. He made his comments during an interview on the podcast “Resonancia de Corazon,” hosted by Jose Ramon de la Morena.
Villa, who played with Messi at FC Barcelona between 2010 and 2013, recalled that what was seen of the Argentine on television fell short of what he showed daily in training.
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I have always said, and there are a thousand newspaper archives out there, that I have never seen anything compared to Leo. It’s what my eyes have seen. He is the best player in the world
Said the 2010 World Cup winner with Spain.
Messi’s impact on training
The former footballer, known as “El Guaje”, explained that when he arrived at Barcelona he discovered an even more impressive version of the Argentine star.
He said that in training, Messi showed extraordinary ability in any position on the field. He even told an anecdote with the Bara goalkeeper at the time, Victor Valdes.
I told Victor that if this boy one day says he wants to be a goalkeeper, he will take your place
Villa explained that Messi was able to excel in any role within the practices: from participating as a wildcard in possession exercises to playing as a centre-forward or taking free kicks.
He was a joker and played better than Xavi Hernandez or Andres Iniesta. If he was a striker, he was the best header. And when it came to taking free kicks, he put them all in
The striker also recalled that many of the goals he scored with Barcelona came from assists from the Argentine.
“I scored 49 goals and most of them came from his boots,” he said.
Messi and his leadership at the 2022 World Cup
Villa also highlighted the leadership Messi showed with the Argentine national team during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
He also highlighted that the Argentine captain was instrumental in his country’s World Cup triumph, even at an advanced stage of his career.
In addition to his talent, mentally and physically he was different and he proved it at the 2022 World Cup by carrying Argentina on his back in every match
The coaches who marked his career
During the conversation, Villa also spoke about the coaches who most influenced his professional career.
Among all of them, he especially highlighted Luis Aragones and Pep Guardiola.
He explained that Aragones was the coach who had the most impact on his personal and mental development, while Guardiola was the one who demanded more from him in the tactical aspect during his time at Barcelona.
Luis Aragones was the best I have ever had mentally and motivationally. And Pep was the one who prepared me the most tactically
Villa also recalled that under Guardiola’s direction he had to adapt to new tactical demands, something he had not experienced with such intensity at previous clubs.
Key facts about the news:
- David Villa played for FC Barcelona between 2010 and 2013.
- He shared a team with Lionel Messi for three seasons.
- Villa believes that the Argentine is the best player he has ever seen.
- He highlighted Messi’s leadership at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
- He pointed to Luis Aragones and Pep Guardiola as the most influential coaches in his career.
