Lionel Messi has hailed former Barcelona head coach Frank Rijkaard as the most important manager of his career.
Messi has played under brilliant minds like Pep Guardiola, Sergio Batista, Tito Vilanova and Luis Enrique. However despite what he achieved under those coaches (especially Guardiola), it is the Dutchman Rijkaard whom he regards as most important.
Speaking to MBC about the coaches in his career, Messi said: “All the coaches I had at first left me things, but I think the most important thing in my career was Rijkaard.”
“If he hadn’t trusted in me and not decided to put me in the first team first to train and then play my first match, maybe I wouldn’t have made it to the first team.”
“I always said that he was for me a very important person, because he trusted in me, put me in at the right time, picked me to play for the first team and that was very important for me.”
Rijkaard brought a then 17-year-old Messi into the first-team picture, handing him his debut against Albacete in October 2004. Messi scored that day, lobbing the goalkeeper after a superb Ronaldinho through-ball. It was the first of a staggering 449 goals in 520 games.
Showing faith in young players was something Rijkaard excelled at. During his tenure as coach he also turned Victor Valdés, Andrés Iniesta, Bojan and Giovanni Dos Santos into first-team regulars at the Camp Nou. All while re-establishing Barcelona as one of the greatest forces in European football.
Rijkaard’s legacy at Barcelona took a hit after two poor seasons from 2006-2008, and with Guardiola’s magic act over the subsequent four years it seems at times that the Dutchman’s role in revitalising Barcelona can be overlooked. Messi has not forgotten, however, and his acknowledgement of Rijkaard’s role in forging his stellar career is a fantastic gesture.
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