"He sees solutions on the field" - Barcelona star heaps praise in Lionel Messi

Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has heaped praise on Lionel Messi, noting how the Argentine is a cut above the rest. The two players spent two seasons together at Camp Nou before Messi left for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the 2021 summer transfer window.

The Netherlands international opened up on training with Messi, highlighting how he was easily the best in the squad. He even claimed that the now-Inter Miami superstar would think of solutions before the coaches.

Speaking to Voetbal International, De Jong said of Messi (via InterMiamiNews):

“I’ve never seen such a big difference between one player and the rest. Whatever we did in training, Messi was the best, always. He sees solutions on the field that you as a coach cannot think of in advance.”

Messi and De Jong played 80 matches together at Barcelona, combining for seven goals. While the Argentine has since moved on, joining PSG first before his stint with Inter Miami, the Dutchman is still contracted with the Catalan giants.

Lionel Messi's former Barcelona teammate Frenkie de Jong on his future at the club

Frenkie de Jong's Barcelona future has been a subject of speculation recently, especially with the club's well-documented financial struggles. The Dutchman is reportedly among the club's highest earners and offloading him would solve some of their issues.

Talking of his time with the club after joining in 2019 from Ajax, De Jong rued the lack of trophies. He said (via ESPN):

"Barça was and is my dream club. As a little boy, I wanted to play here. I still enjoy every day at this club, but as in real life, not everything is as ideal as you imagine. There is a reason they say you should never meet your heroes, right? I must confess that when I signed my contract here, I did not think that after [five] years I would have won only one LaLiga, one Copa del Rey and one Supercopa.

"I thought at least double that, so in terms of trophies, it's disappointing. But, along the way, things always happen that you can't foresee beforehand."

De Jong's current contract with the club expires in 2026.