Former Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o said on Tuesday that Argentine superstar Lionel Messi had shown signs of greatness even as an FC Barcelona B player and that his legacy will be impossible to surpass.
Eto'o and Messi played together for Barcelona from 2004 until the former departed for Inter Milan in July 2009 as part of the deal that took Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Camp Nou.
"He would move between the B team and the first team, and he was very good," Eto'o told LaLiga.
"We already knew back then that Messi would one day become what he is today. I'm very happy because he's achieved that through his own hard work," said the 39-year old who was part of a terrific Barcelona attack with Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho and helped the club win three LaLiga titles, two Champions Leagues and a Copa del Rey.
Eto'o, who has seen Messi during his formative years to then grow into arguably one of the best footballers of all time, said the Barcelona mainstay hasn't changed at all and is still the person he knew as a young player.
"He hasn't changed at all. He's still the good person that I knew back then, and that I still know," said Eto'o of Messi, a six-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Without spilling the beans on the advice, Eto'o said he did have some words for Messi when he was still developing which has helped the Argentine, as he has said recently.
"He recently said 'thanks to Samuel,' thanks to my advice -- that I won't reveal here -- that his career changed.
"Back then he had to iron out a few things but he's always had that talent. I'm proud and happy to see the story that he's written, and that hasn't ended yet. It's going to be very difficult, impossible even, to surpass his legacy."
Eto'o said more than anything else it is Messi's character that stands out.
"The most important thing for me is his character. Everyone appreciates him, adores him as a player. But he's a wonderful guy and I'm proud to still be among his friends."
