Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez believes the difference between Lionel Messi and Brazilian greats Neymar and Ronaldinho was not a lack of talent, but a change in mentality that affected their ability to remain at the highest level of football.
All three enjoyed remarkable spells at Barcelona, displaying extraordinary technical ability and helping the club achieve major honours. Yet while Messi continued to dominate world football for years, Ronaldinho and Neymar struggled to maintain the same level of consistency throughout their careers.
Xavi, who played alongside both Ronaldinho and Messi at Barcelona, believes the Brazilian playmakers gradually lost the hunger to achieve more after reaching the pinnacle of the game. He argues that winning major trophies is one thing, but sustaining the motivation to keep improving is what separates truly exceptional players from the rest.
Ronaldinho enjoyed the finest period of his career at Barcelona after joining the Spanish club in 2003. His dazzling skills, creativity, dribbling and ability to produce moments of brilliance made him one of the most entertaining footballers of his generation. In 2005, he won the Ballon d’Or, having already established himself as one of the leading figures in world football.
He also played a central role in Barcelona’s domestic and European success, including their 2006 Champions League triumph. However, his extraordinary period at the top did not last as long as many had expected.
Although discussions about his lifestyle, particularly his partying and activities away from football, frequently surrounded his later career, Xavi believes those factors do not tell the whole story.
Having witnessed Ronaldinho’s development at close quarters, the former Spain international suggests that the Brazilian gradually became less motivated after achieving almost everything he had set out to accomplish.
In an interview, Xavi said: “I think it was a mentality problem. Ronaldinho had won everything. La Liga and the Champions League with Barcelona, as well as the Ballon d’Or individually. Afterwards, perhaps he thought, ‘Right, I have achieved everything.'”
Xavi also highlighted the contrast between Ronaldinho’s approach and Messi’s relentless desire for further success. In his assessment, Messi never allowed his achievements to make him complacent. Instead, every trophy and individual award appeared to strengthen his determination to reach even greater heights.
Comparing the two, Xavi said: “If you compare him with Leo (Messi), Ronaldinho’s mentality was perhaps, ‘My job is done.’ But Messi always wanted more. He kept moving forward and never stopped. It was about mentality, not partying.”
Messi’s career provides a striking example of the consistency Xavi describes. During his time at Barcelona, the Argentine won numerous domestic and European titles, alongside multiple Ballon d’Or awards. Even after establishing himself as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, he continued to pursue new challenges.
His achievements were not limited to club football. Leading Argentina to victory at the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 FIFA World Cup further strengthened his legacy.
Xavi believes a similar pattern can be seen in Neymar’s career. The Brazilian forward arrived at Barcelona in 2013 and gradually developed into one of the club’s most influential attacking players. Alongside Messi and Luis Suarez, he formed the celebrated attacking trio known as MSN, which became one of the most formidable forward lines in modern football.
The trio played a decisive role in Barcelona’s historic 2014-15 campaign, when the club won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. Neymar was particularly influential in the Champions League, scoring in the final against Juventus and finishing as one of the competition’s leading scorers.
At the time, many regarded him as the natural successor to Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the leading figure in world football.
However, in August 2017, Neymar left Barcelona to join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in a record-breaking transfer worth €222 million. The move was widely seen as an opportunity for him to step out of Messi’s shadow and establish himself as the central figure at another major European club.
Although Neymar produced impressive individual performances in Paris, injuries and inconsistent availability disrupted his progress. Despite winning domestic honours with PSG, he was unable to lead the club to the Champions League title during his time there.
Xavi sees similarities between Neymar’s career trajectory and Ronaldinho’s decline, arguing that the issue was again connected to the player’s mentality and his determination to continue pursuing greater achievements.
Speaking about Neymar, he said: “The same thing happened with Neymar. He had a wonderful time at Barcelona, and we won the Champions League together. Then he signed for PSG. In this case, too, I think it was related to mentality.”
In explaining what it takes to remain at the highest level for an extended period, Xavi also referred to Cristiano Ronaldo alongside Messi. Both players, he believes, have demonstrated an extraordinary ability to maintain their competitive drive despite achieving almost everything possible in football.
Their longevity has been built not only on natural ability but also on discipline, ambition and an unwavering desire to improve. Rather than becoming satisfied with previous accomplishments, they have continued setting new targets and demanding more from themselves.
Xavi stressed that problems arise when players begin to recognise that their competitive mentality is no longer what it once was.
“When you realise that your mentality is declining, that you no longer have the same mentality as before and that you are no longer the same player, that is when problems begin. Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi, for example, have never experienced that. They are both absolute monsters,” he said.
Xavi’s assessment offers an insight into one of football’s most enduring questions: why do some extraordinarily gifted players maintain their dominance for years, while others struggle to fulfil their initial promise?
For him, the answer lies largely in the desire to keep progressing. Ronaldinho and Neymar both possessed exceptional talent and achieved significant success at Barcelona. But Messi and Ronaldo demonstrated that reaching the top is only part of the challenge. Staying there requires the same hunger, commitment and determination long after the trophies have been won.
