Stopping a force like Lionel Messi is nearly impossible, and he has tormented many of his opponents whenever he had the ball at his feet. However, his teammates were no exception.
Former Barcelona defender Martín Montoya shared a locker room with Messi during FC Barcelona’s golden era; both were academy products of La Masía. Yet he revealed the one time when stopping Messi “was easy.”
Messi, Unstoppable?
Martín and Leo played together at Barça for five seasons, between 2010 and 2015, winning multiple trophies including the 2014-15 treble (La Liga, Copa del Rey, and UEFA Champions League) and sharing the field in 46 official matches, according to Transfermarkt records.
Recently, on March 24, 2026, Montoya announced his retirement from professional soccer in an interview with journalist Rodrigo Rea, but he also took the opportunity to reflect on his experience alongside the Argentine star at the Catalan club, from his early days.
“You get promoted to the first team and see all those superstars, especially Messi. The best player in history, in my opinion. He’s a fantastic person and a phenomenal player,” said the former defender.
Martín continued to praise Lionel, highlighting not only his talent but also his character and humility: “He brightened your day, he helped you… he’s very approachable. In the end, he also came up through the youth system and knew what it was like to be promoted, to have to help the younger players.He was just one of the squad,” he reflected.
However, during the conversation, he also highlighted what it was like to face him as an opponent when he played for Valencia or when he wore the colors of Real Betis. And it wasn’t easy at all: “It’s impossible to take the ball from him; he goes anywhere,” Montoya said.
“But let me tell you something: for me it was ‘easier’ when Leo cut inside. I played as a full-back and he came from the right toward the center. There, I had the help of the midfielders and the center-back to stagger the marking,” he revealed, but he also admitted: “The difficult thing was when they were one-on-one on the wing.”
This confession from the now-former defender is neither the first nor the only one from a former teammate and rival of Leo’s, but it only serves to reinforce the legacy of the world champion, who has been recognized for his ball control, his change of pace, and a dribbling ability that makes him unique.
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