Ex-Teammate Takes Credit for Lionel Messi, Neymar & Luis Suarez’s Barcelona Success- “They Scored 100 Goals But..”

“Abracadabra! And then the magic sparks.“ In his own words, that’s all it took for Luis Enrique to make Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar become the best trio in the soccer world. Breathtaking goals, magical passes, and mesmerizing performances—the iconic MSN trio forever etched their names in the history books. While the trio’s individual prowess helped them achieve countless successes, their former teammate Ivan Rakitic claims it wouldn’t have been possible for them without ample backup. 

The Croatian international is seeking credit where it is due, as he emphasized that the remaining eight players made their success possible. Speaking on the ARLS podcast, the current Al Shabab star said, “Of course, I can say that I enjoyed playing with Messi, Neymar, and Suarez. Hopefully, they say that they enjoyed playing with Rakitic too.” In fact, he recalled them by sending a taunting reminder to the former Catalan front three. “They scored 100 goals per season, but they couldn’t have done it without the support at the back,” added the 36-year-old. 

Rakitic was lucky enough to enjoy remarkable success with Messi, Suarez, and Neymar, winning the iconic treble in 2015, alongside another league title, Super Cup and Club World Cup. Subsequently, Neymar dismantled the trio with his switch to PSG in 2017. But the silverware kept coming for Rakitic alongside the duo of Messi and Suarez, adding another two league titles, a Copa del Rey and 2 Super Copa de Espana. 

Nevertheless, Rakitic’s assertion is quite bold, likely to raise eyebrows among the former trio. Interestingly, this isn’t the first time he has ruffled a few feathers, as the midfielder recently showered praise on Messi’s long-term arch-rival. 

Ivan Rakitic pledges alliance with Cristiano Ronaldo, despite previously giving Al Nassr the cold shoulder in favor of Lionel Messi

Recently, Ivan Rakitic discussed his upcoming encounter with Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League, praising the Al Nassr captain’s ability to maintain his top form despite CR7’s advancing age. “First of all, biggest respect to Ronaldo. He is one of the best players in history, for sure. The mentality and personality that Ronaldo has should be a mirror for all of us. All of us, even if we can get 1% of this winning mentality, it will be so much.” Interestingly, the praise didn’t end here!

The Al Shadab star highlighted CR7’s remarkable dedication to training, being the first and last one to leave the gym. Rakitic further noted his commitment to continuous improvement and relentless pursuit of goals. Ironically, this sentiment is a departure from Rakitic’s previous remarks in 2020, where he famously favored Lionel Messi over Ronaldo as the best soccer player in the world. However, his perception seems to have changed now that he is playing in the Saudi Pro League.