The reason for his prowess from set pieces
Sergi Font. Barcelona 10/15/2012
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'}};Back in the 2004-05 season, Leo Messi was a kid who was just starting to get his first taste of first-team action. Shy and reserved, he was a stickler for hierarchy and would spend his time observing the team's big guns in order to soak up as much footballing knowledge as possible. At that time, Ronaldinho and Deco were the key men in Rijkaard's Barcelona side, and the pair also had a big influence in the dressing room.
As a result, Messi kept his eyes glued on the Brazilians, watching their every move. As the months went by, the Argentine's star began to rise and he became close friends with the 'Samba' pair, in particular Deco. He would stay behind at the end of training to take free-kicks with Ronaldinho and practice long passes and top-corner finishes with Deco. Their secret? They did so barefoot!
"I feel more comfortable hitting the ball without boots, barefoot", Messi claimed at the time. And it was these exercises that helped mould the Argentine's feet to take set pieces, giving his strikes extra punch. He complemented this power by studying Ronaldinho's exquisite technique, even challenging 'El Gaúcho' after training to see who could net the most dead balls.
When Guardiola and Vilanova took the reins at Barça, not only was Messi afforded more freedom on the pitch, but he was also given licence to get in on the act at set pieces – a duty previously reserved for Ronaldinho, Xavi and, on occasion, Eto'o.
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