Khaberni - Xavi Hernandez, Barcelona legend, praises Argentine star Lionel Messi, his former teammate in the Catalan team, describing him as the Michael Jordan of football.
Xavi Hernandez played alongside Lionel Messi at Barcelona for about 10 years, from the promotion of "the Flea" to the first team until Xavi left the Catalan club at the end of the 2014-2015 season.
In an article for "The Athletic," Xavi spoke about the nature of his former teammate as a shy and introverted person at the beginning when he was a young player, and revealed his feelings after watching his performance for the first time in Barcelona.
The former Barca coach also disclosed his message to Messi after the hat-trick he scored against Algeria in the current edition of the 2026 World Cup finals, and he chose the best match for the Argentine star.
The text of Xavi's article about Messi is as follows:
Extraordinary talent
I was 20 when I first heard the name Lionel Messi.. one of the youth coaches at Barcelona told me about this boy coming from Argentina to join the academy.
He told me he had never seen anything like it before. Honestly, I was skeptical.. many promising talents pass through the Barcelona system.. and I believed the real judgment on a player only comes when they reach the first team.
He told me: "Xavi, this is different".
I remember watching clips of Messi on the Barcelona channel in the following years.. his dribbles, his goals.. those clips where he would dribble past 4 or 5 defenders and then bypass the goalkeeper.
He appeared as a naturally phenomenal talent, but many young players also seemed that way.. the channel always showcased only their best clips.
In 2004, the same coach sent me a message: "That Argentine I told you about will be training with you tomorrow".. I thought to myself: "Well, it's time to see the truth about this boy".
First training session
I still remember that first training session. His way of controlling the ball, his dribbles, his passes, his way of connecting with teammates… he was capable of doing everything. He was a phenomenon.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Not even the other senior players — Carles Puyol, Victor Valdes, Deco, Ronaldinho.
We would look at each other as if to say: "This is not normal".
Leo was 16 years old, yet he almost became the best player in the club immediately.
He was a hardworking boy and a fierce competitor, very aggressive with the ball and without it, always hungry.
When he moved forward there was no showmanship or flashy moves; he was very direct, with only one mindset.
My God, the way he attacked the goal was something rare. Even at Barcelona, you didn't see such talent.
Away from football, Leo was shy and introverted.
I shared a room with him on an Asian tour shortly after his promotion to the first team.. he would ask me for permission just to turn on the TV.
I told him: "Relax, it’s okay, you don’t have to ask my permission".. I was trying to make him feel comfortable and at ease.
Ease of playing with Messi
On the pitch, we would talk constantly.. he would say to me: "Maki, this player is watching me closely, pass the ball behind him", and then he would escape him with a deep sprint.
Sometimes I would see him tense because he wasn’t touching the ball much. I would say to him: "Come back, come back". He would come closer to me, and closer to Andres Iniesta, and to Busquets, and to where the play was happening.
The more Leo touched the ball, the more the team benefited, we wanted him to feel happy and to be engaged in the match.
Playing with him was very easy.. if you couldn’t sync with Messi, you couldn’t play football; it’s that simple.
When you passed the ball to Leo, he would return it to you perfectly and just at the right moment, and always on your preferred foot.
And for someone who always loved passing, playing with him was a privilege.. Leo made me a better football player. And I also tried to help him as much as possible.
Messi the leader
And Xavi continued talking about Messi: He was a wonderful teammate.. he started as a quiet leader — always wanting the ball, always showing his character — but gradually he started taking on greater responsibilities.
When I left Barcelona in 2015, he was already an excellent speaker, encouraging his teammates before the matches. And now with the Argentina national team, you can see that he is the undisputed leader, in words and deeds.
The matter comes naturally from him: that unquenchable desire to win. You never see Messi not ready for a match.
The passion he puts into football is very Argentine, very competitive. You cannot escape it.
Best match for Messi
There are many unforgettable Messi matches for me, but if I had to choose one, it would be the 2011 UEFA Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.
Mourinho made the grass long, and we saw they were playing for a goalless draw.. Leo scored the first goal, then went on a dribble in the style of Diego Maradona, surpassing the opponents.
He was alone against Lass Diarra, and against Xabi Alonso, and against Raul Albiol, and against Sergio Ramos, and managed to bypass them all.. We didn’t play football that day.. nothing was happening. Then Messi appeared.
That’s what he was able to do. Maybe our team play was struggling, but we had the trump card: the best player in history. Messi won us the matches on his own.
I feel emotional when I watch him now.
I played until I was 39, but then I was in the Qatari league and had stopped playing with Spain years ago.. Leo is now that age, but when you look at him he is just the same as ever.. he hasn’t changed.. look at how quickly he moves his feet "tac tac tac".. any other player would have retired after winning the 2022 World Cup, but he is a true competitor.
He believes he can win the World Cup again.
I never doubt that Argentina will reach the final stages. And we’ll see the best version of Messi. This is his moment.
He has mentally prepared himself for this, even though many said he was not in the best physical shape, and that he was no longer as he was. Then he enters and scores a hat-trick.
We did a lot of mental training in Barcelona, exercises based on finding space or the free man. Leo mastered it.
And I do not exaggerate when I say he could play in the position of Iniesta, or Busquets, or Puyol, or even mine.
He was capable of doing everything at the same quality as the best player in each position. And it’s still the same now.
Message to Messi after the Algeria match
I sent a message to Leo after the Algeria match. I told him it was a joke, and I could only laugh when I saw what he did.
It was something crazy. But this is Leo. Always shows up at the right moment. For me, he is incomparable. Unmatched. Almost non-human.
I love to say he is the Michael Jordan of football. In football, there is no one else you can compare him to.. he surpassed the greats of the past because of his consistency: he has been the best for the last 20 years. And even now, after all this time, he still goes out and proves it to us.
Messi's mentality
His mindset is exceptional. For me, this is what distinguishes him. He can't stand losing. He possesses the ideal mentality for football and also the perfect body: his body was specially made for this game.
Forget his goals against Algeria; look at his overall play, his physical condition, and the immense motivation and ambition he puts into the game. He has a champion's mindset that will never be repeated.
Since I was 16, I saw that he was an exceptional talent, but for him to continue this long is amazing. I am grateful that I played with Leo, and that our histories intertwined.
I don’t think we will ever see a football player like him again.
