Lionel Messi's 5 favourite teammates

Lionel Messi has scored countless goals and decided plenty of matches all on his own, but there has never been any doubt that he has been surrounded by some quality players and team-mates.

Having won almost every individual and club prize available, Messi has time and again acknowledged the importance of his team-mates in his continued success. Having spent most of his time at Barcelona, it is no surprise that all his favourite team-mates are from the Catalan giants.

Without much ado, let us take a look at Messi’s 5 favourite team-mates:

#5 Ronaldinho

The Brazilian magician arguably changed Barcelona’s fortunes single-handedly when he made the move to Catalan giants Barcelona in 2003. However, when Messi first burst onto the scene, the Barcelona great was in decline and Messi was seen as Ronaldinho’s long term replacement.

And Messi has time and again revealed how Ronaldinho helped him feel comfortable and made him a part of the first team squad. Speaking to BarcaTV, Messi said:

"Before leaving the club [Ronaldinho] was coming off a few months where he was thinking about things," Messi said.

"He had it in his mind that he was leaving and he told me to have his number. I took it without looking at what he had done with the shirt. If I did, I would not have taken it."

"Everyone welcomed me into the dressing room, and [Ronaldinho] welcomed me in a spectacular way," he said.

"To go into that dressing room was not easy but he made it all so much easier. I was very comfortable by not only Ronnie's welcoming but everyone.

"Those who came up from the [Barca] B sat on the other side [to the main group]. The locker room did a 'U' and we sat in-front, and there came a moment that [Ronaldinho] told me to go to his side and that I no longer needed to be where I was anymore.

"There was a spot free and there was Deco and [Thiago] Motta right there, and he sat me right beside them. I must admit at the start it was hard.

"But he said no, that I was good where I was until I basically obliged to sit there."

Messi has gone on to win 5 Ballon d’Ors and multiple La Liga and Champions League titles wearing Ronaldinho’s number 10 jersey and the Argentine maestro to this day looks back fondly on the mentorship and friendship offered by Ronaldinho.

#4 Xavi

When Messi calls someone the best player in Spanish history, you know he has huge respect for the player. That is exactly how Messi described Xavi when he was asked to speak about the impact of the legendary midfielder.

Many pundits and experts had always claimed that Messi became a phenomenon because of Xavi and Iniesta in midfield and the Argentine maestro himself has acknowledged the impact of the Spanish legend in his career.

Xavi has also always taken the opportunity to praise his former team-mate often calling him the best ever player. On asked about Messi and Ronaldo, Xavi controversially said:

"It is clear that Messi is on a level above all others. Those who do not see that are blind."

On the pitch, Xavi and Messi always seemed to have a telepathic understanding and the legendary midfielder is often considered Messi's mentor, guide and close friend and is undoubtedly one of Messi’ s favourite team-mates.

#3 Luis Suarez and Neymar

Messi, Neymar and Suarez have taken the world by storm and the MSN trio is largely considered to be the best trio of all time. While all the three individually are great players, what stands out is the chemistry and friendship between them.

The trio genuinely enjoy playing with each other with, Messi, in particular, talking in detail about his friendship with Suarez and Neymar.

When asked about his relationship with Neymar and Suarez, he said:

"It's wonderful playing with them. We get along really well on and off the pitch.

"We really are friends and that is really important to enable us to play this kind of football."

In another interview, Messi called Suarez the greatest forward at the moment and spoke about his relationship with Neymar. Speaking about Suarez, Messi said:

“What I can say is that he is the best out-and-out forward there is in the game today.”

Messi also spoke about his relationship with Neymar:

"The fact is that I get on very well with Neymar," said Messi. "He has said nice things about me ever since he arrived at the club. It makes me feel very happy to hear a friend and a colleague talk like that.

"I think [MSN's success] is all down to the chemistry between the three of us, both on and off the pitch and the type of people that we are too.”

Messi, Neymar and Suarez genuinely look out for each other on and off the football pitch and Neymar and Suarez are undoubtedly one of Messi’s favourite team-mates of all time.

#2 Andres Iniesta

Lionel Messi might have won everything with Barcelona, but one man who has been with him through his entire Barcelona journey is current Barcelona captain, Andres Iniesta. The Spanish midfielder is one of the greatest players of all time and Lionel Messi has always been very complimentary of Iniesta.

Speaking about Iniesta’s abilities, Messi had said:

“The hardest thing to do in football is to make it look like everything is easy, effortless, and that's Andrés.”

Messi probably associates himself with Iniesta most in his star-studded Barcelona team. The below quotes show Messi’s reliance and love for the silent Spanish maestro:

"We're more similar in the fact that we don't talk much. He sits in one corner, I sit in another. But we cross paths, we connect; with just a look we understand each other. We don't need more than that.

“On the pitch, I like him to be near me, especially when the game takes a turn for the worse, when things are difficult. That's when I say to him: 'Come closer, I want you by my side.' He takes control and responsibility; he leads the team.”

Messi and Iniesta will be looking to create some more magic in the El Clasico tonight.

#1 Dani Alves

While Xavi, Iniesta, Suarez and Neymar might have all contributed a lot to Messi’s success, the one who has given the most assists to Messi in his Barcelona career is Brazilian right-back Dani Alves.

The Brazilian and Argentine formed a deadly partnership especially during Pep Guardiola’s tenure with Dani Alves always seeming to find Messi in goalscoring positions. The pair also shared a strong relationship off the pitch, with Messi even calling him as his best friend.

Messi who was asked by FourFourTwo who he got on best with at the club a year ago:

"We all get on very well in the dressing room.

“I've always been close with Dani Alves, since we shared the right wing together when I first broke into the Barcelona first-team.

"We've spent many years together, both on and off the field. Day-to-day, we've got a very strong relationship, which is also of a great help on the field -- it means we understand each other's games very well."

Messi enjoys a good relationship with a lot of his team-mates, but probably the team-mate he enjoyed playing most with is current Juventus star Dani Alves.

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