“He was annoyed with me and I was annoyed with him” - Marc-Andre ter Stegen opens up on relationship with Lionel Messi at Barcelona

Barcelona keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen recently discussed his relationship with Lionel Messi during their time at the Catalan club. The pair spent seven years at the Catalan Giants and won every trophy available in European football during their time in Catalunya.

In a recent interview with BILD, the 32-year-old keeper reflected on his time with Messi in the changing room. Ter Stegen said via Barca Universal:

“The good moments or the bad moments? [laughs] We had them all. Leo is a special character at this level because he is motivated by a lot of things that we don’t see, I think. We’ve had moments where things didn’t work out between us because he was annoyed with me and I was annoyed with him.”

“I think Leo is probably the only player who, if he wants to shoot you in the face, he can. The others would probably shoot anywhere, but he has the ability to hit the target," he added.

Ter Stegen clarified the emotions he and Lionel Messi had towards each other, saying:

“Several times (smiles). But not angry at all, in the sense that it didn’t drag on or anything like that. Leo is just an impressive character on the pitch, and he plays with a lightness that you will never see again, I’m 100% sure of that.”

“He has the ability; if he wants to make you look bad, he does it with such ease, and with a pass or a shot that afterwards you’ll say, ‘That’s impossible!’. And I’ve experienced that many times. And that’s also why I’m glad I’ve always had him with me in the games and not on the other side," the German footballer added.

The German concluded by discussing the Barcelona legend's ability to lead without speaking much, saying:

“We never argued, as if to say we didn’t get along at all. But we had our moments, and that’s fine. We were in the locker room together for a long time, and it was definitely interesting to have him in the team and see how he leads. Whether it’s my style or not, it was interesting to see."

“Leo is not a loudmouth; he works a lot with presence and needs to say relatively little, really. And when he says something, everyone listens. And that’s what you really want to achieve as a captain: to be listened to and followed," he concluded.

Marc-Andre Ter Stegen remains a Barceloa player and is contracted to the LaLiga table toppers until the summer of 2028.

Lionel Messi, meanwhile, left the Catalan side in the summer of 2021. After a two-season stint with Paris Saint-Germain, he now represents Inter Miami in the MLS.

The pair played 21,239 minutes across 250 games together, averaging 2.27 points per game.

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Lionel Messi's Barcelona legacy

Lionel Messi is widely believed to be the greatest player to represent Barcelona in the club's illustrious history. The Argentine star's exploits have earned him a rarefied place in the club's record books as the side's highest goalscorer and assist provider.

Messi began his career with Barcelona in 200, working through the club's famed La Masia youth ranks to represent the senior team. In his 21 years at the club, the Argentine maestro scored 672 goals and 303 assists in 778 games. He helped the team to 10 LaLigas, eight Spanish Super Cups, seven Copa del Reys, four UEFA Champions Leagues, and three FIFA Club World Cups.

Lionel Messi was recognized for his efforts at Barcelona with six Ballon d'Or awards, nine player-of-the-year awards, and six European Golden boots.