Eto’o Claims He, Not Messi, Was Key to Barcelona’s Success Under Guardiola

Former Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o has claimed that his contribution to the club’s success under Pep Guardiola has been underestimated, insisting that he played a major role in making the team successful.

Barcelona enjoyed a remarkable period under Guardiola, winning three La Liga titles, two Champions League trophies and several other honours between 2008 and 2012.

However, Eto’o said the credit given to Guardiola and Lionel Messi often overlooked the importance of other players in the team.

The former Cameroon international also criticised Guardiola, claiming the coach did not fully understand the dynamics of the squad during their time together.

“Pep Guardiola has lived his whole life in Barcelona, but in the years I spent there he didn’t understand the squad. He didn’t live the life of our group,” Eto’o said.

He also recalled telling Guardiola that he, rather than Messi, would be crucial to Barcelona’s immediate success.

“I said to Guardiola: ‘You’ll apologise to me because it’s me that will make Barcelona win, not Lionel Messi,’” Eto’o said.

According to the striker, Messi’s period of complete dominance came later, while players such as Xavi, Andres Iniesta and himself were already playing central roles in Barcelona’s success.

Eto’o enjoyed an outstanding spell at Barcelona, scoring 152 goals in 234 appearances for the Catalan club.

He was also an important member of Guardiola’s team during the 2008-09 season, when Barcelona won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.

Messi, however, was already emerging as the team’s biggest star during that campaign, scoring 38 goals in 51 appearances before going on to win his first Ballon d’Or.

Eto’o later left Barcelona for Inter Milan but maintained that his influence during one of the club’s most successful periods deserved greater recognition.