‘People ask me what it was like to play with Messi – he’s one of the best of all time. Playing alongside him in that Barcelona attack for so many years was incredible’ Pedro reveals what it’s really like to partner the Argentine icon

For most of us mere mortals, simply being in the same stadium as Lionel Messi for 90 minutes would warrant a big tick on our footballing bucket lists.

But what would it be like to line up alongside the Argentine legend, week-in, week-out?

Former Spain and Barcelona winger Pedro had the privilege of sharing a pitch with Messi 270 times during his spell at the Camp Nou, and he is in no doubt as to how fortunate that makes him.

Pedro on being Messi’s team-mate

Despite being born just 35 days after Messi in the summer of 1987, Pedro’s Barcelona first-team debut came in January 2008, more than three years after a 17-year-old Messi had become the club’s youngest-ever player.

By this point, Messi was well on his way to global stardom, but it didn’t take Pedro long to prove his worth in Barca side and as he looks back at his career, he is proud to have taken his place alongside the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.

“It’s something I can tell my kids and friends,” Pedro tells FourFourTwo. “Even many footballers, team-mates at Lazio, ask me what it was like to play with Leo.

“He’s one of the best of all time. Giving him so many assists and playing alongside him in that attack for so many years, it was something incredible. I feel very proud – it was a privilege.”

Pedro had to compete with another modern-day legend when he was breaking into the Barca team in the shape of Thierry Henry, who arrived in Catalonia from Arsenal in the summer of 2007 and spent three seasons with the club.

But did Pedro feel any added pressure at the prospect of replacing the Frenchman when he left at the end of the 2009/10 campaign?

“What a legend!,” Pedro adds. “He’s a great person, he treated me amazingly and gave me a lot of advice. Despite his magnificent career, he never had an ego, afraid that a young guy would take his spot.

“My dad calls him ‘Uncle’ Henry. I often sat with him in the changing room and on the bus. He was one of the players who tried hardest to make me comfortable. As a player and person, he’s 10 out of 10.”