The World Cup winner played alongside the eight-time Ballon d’Or star at Camp Nou, witnessing firsthand the relentless drive that fuels the very best.
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Messi led Barcelona to La Liga and Copa del Rey triumphs while always striving for perfection. Known for his humility, he made team-mates feel at ease and set standards others aspired to match.
Umtiti told The Elevate House: "As a person, he is top. You realise that even if you have won everything, it is useless to believe you are superior.
“There is only one, it’s Leo. At all levels. He alone is capable of winning a game, and very few can do that.
"If we won 4-0 and he didn’t score, he wasn’t happy. In his head, it was clear: he had to score all the time. That’s the sign of the big ones.”