Barcelona captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen has opened up about his complex relationship with Lionel Messi during their time together at Camp Nou. Despite sharing in the glory of 13 trophy wins, including a treble-winning campaign a decade ago, the German goalkeeper revealed that their time as team-mates wasn't always straightforward.
Messi could not prevent his departure from Barcelona due to the club's financial constraints in 2021, leading to his transfer to Paris Saint-Germain. Reflecting on their time as team-mates, Ter Stegen offered a glimpse into their dynamic, acknowledging both highs and lows. In a recent interview with Bild, Ter Stegen mused over his experiences with Messi, quipping: "The good moments or the bad moments? 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."
Ter Stegen revealed having multiple disagreements with Messi during their time together at the club, adding: "Several times. 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."
Despite admitting to occasional friction, Ter Stegen quickly dismissed any notion of discontent between him and Messi. The 33-year-old explained that it was merely the result of being part of a highly competitive team.
"We never argued, as if to say we didn't get along at all. But we had our moments, and that's fine," Ter Stegen admitted. "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."
While Ter Stegen may have a different approach to leadership, his admiration for Messi's achievements and talent is undiminished. During their shared tenure at Barcelona, Messi netted an astonishing 312 goals and provided 158 assists in 353 games.
"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," Ter Stegen said. "And that's also why I'm glad I've always had him with me in the games and not on the other side."
Since joining Inter Miami in July 2023, Lionel Messi has continued his exceptional form, leading the team to victory in the Leagues Cup and Supporters' Shield, netting an impressive 44 goals in just 54 appearances.