Brazilian legend Ronaldinho said he could see Lionel Messi was going to become a star from the start after reminiscing about their spell together at Barcelona .
Ronaldinho, who was one of the most talented players of his generation, played for Barcelona between 2003-2008, while Messi's first appearance for the senior team came in the 2004-2005 season,
The two South Americans went on to form a lethal partnership until Ronaldinho departed for AC Milan, and speaking to Panenka magazine the 2002 World Cup winner said the two quickly formed a bond.
"When I arrived at Barcelona, there was already talk of a kid who stood out," Ronaldinho said.
"Then we were friends; we started playing together and got on very well. He arrived being different to all the others, and we spoke with [Frank] Rijkaard so that he came to train with us - it was all very fast."
"I was lucky enough to give him the pass for his first goal. Over time, it's very nice to see someone who starts out so close to you and then conquers the world."
Ronaldinho said their chemistry on the pitch grew over time, and praised the six-time Ballon d'Or winner for his calmness.
"We were always very close," he continued. "We learned things, he taught me Spanish and I taught him Portuguese, but with the ball we understood each other perfectly.
"I'd be left amazed by how calm he is. That's something I love about him; he never gets into trouble, he's always with his family and those closest to him. Leo has everything, he didn't need anything from me."
Messi's Barcelona are currently top of La Liga on goal difference, although they recently replaced their manager Ernesto Valverde with former Real Betis boss Quique Setien .
They host Granada on Sunday, where Messi will be looking to add to his 13 goals and six assists from 14 La Liga games so far this season.
