“What Have I Done?”: The Human Side of Messi, According to Bartra

During an emotional interview on the show Viajando con Chester, Real Betis defender Marc Bartra shared a rarely seen side of Lionel Messi during their time together at FC Barcelona. Far from the image of a flawless footballer, Bartra described Messi as deeply self-critical.

“I saw him in the locker room yelling at himself, grabbing his shirt, saying, ‘What have I done?’ after missing a penalty,” said Bartra. “Then he’d come out for the second half and be the best player on the pitch. That’s what made him the greatest.”

Pressure, Mental Health, and Messi’s Emotional Drive

Bartra also emphasized the importance of mental health in football, noting that it's a subject rarely addressed when he was younger. “Mental health is everything. I always say: ‘Give me health, and the rest will follow.’ Seeing someone like Messi, with all his talent, go through tough moments shows you how real the struggle is,” he said.

The center-back also reminisced about his early days at Barcelona, where he shared a locker room with legends like Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, and Busquets. “When I debuted at the Calderón, I was nervous. But once I stepped onto the pitch, it all made sense. I felt like I was meant to be there,” he recalled.

Through Bartra’s story, we get a powerful look into the mentality of a player who, despite being arguably the best in the world, dealt with pressure and personal disappointment. His relentless drive for improvement and refusal to play the victim were key to becoming the legend that Lionel Messi is today.