The relationship was not just about keeping the young star grounded behind closed doors; Ronaldinho was also vocal about Messi's potential to reach the very top of the footballing pyramid. Orlandi recalls that the Brazilian was never shy about celebrating the talent of the man who would eventually inherit his iconic number 10 shirt.
"Ronaldinho was affectionate with everyone, but to Messi he would say, 'damn, you're at a level where one day you can sit at my table.' In the end, these geniuses recognize each other," Orlandi added. "Look, it wasn't hard to recognize Messi's talent, but it was like a public display of saying 'this is my boy and he's the business'."