Ander Herrera: 'Messi won't be repeated' and he praises Neymar and Mbappé
Ander Herrera, the 37-year-old Real Zaragoza midfielder, says Lionel Messi is unique and describes his daily training attitude in a lengthy interview with Rio Ferdinand.
Key takeaways
- Lionel Messi: unique player, consistency in training, almost never losing the ball.
- Neymar: described as the 'magic of football' by Herrera.
- Kylian Mbappé: described as a 'super-hero'.
- Ángel Di María: named as the fourth standout in the Paris dressing room.
- Dressing room management: tough but achievable, the coach must sometimes make decisive calls for collective balance.
Ander Herrera, a Real Zaragoza midfielder and former player for Athletic Bilbao, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Boca Juniors, spoke at length in an interview with Rio Ferdinand about his career and his former teammates.
« Messi ne se répétera pas »
Herrera described Lionel Messi as incomparable and believed that a player of his caliber would not be seen again. He stressed that Messi's greatness extended beyond matches, manifesting in his consistency in training: according to him, Messi practically never loses the ball during sessions and delivers his best level "every day of the week". Herrera wrapped up his remarks by saying this conduct was "crazy", highlighting the Argentinian's daily standards.
Description des relations avec les stars et gestion du vestiaire
Mentioning the three names cited by the interviewer — Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé — Herrera added a fourth name: Ángel Di María, recalling that he played with these players at Paris Saint-Germain. He explained that to get the best out of the "stars", one must accept certain collective roles: know one’s function in the press, know how to give space to the major players, and be available for layoffs (assists).
Herrera summed up the working relationship this way: if a teammate does his job correctly, the great players make the whole squad better. He also attributed to Neymar a dimension of football "magic" and described Kylian Mbappé as a "super-hero", highlighting exceptional qualities unique to each.
On the difficulty of leading a dressing room full of strong personalities, Herrera conceded that the task is demanding but possible. He cited examples of coaches who managed several stars simultaneously at other clubs, and indicated that some management choices, such as sidelining stars, can be motivated by cohesion problems. He also mentioned the work of a coach who managed to part ways with problematic players, recalling the results achieved afterward.
Parcours et contexte personnel
The interview also led Herrera to reflect on his path, his current situation at Real Zaragoza, and the long career that took him from Athletic Bilbao to Manchester United, then to Paris Saint-Germain and Boca Juniors. At 37, Herrera shared these memories, emphasizing the lessons learned daily with world stars and the importance of a clear understanding of roles within a group.
List of points touched on in the interview:
- Lionel Messi: unique player, training consistency, almost never losing the ball.
- Neymar: described as the "magic of football" by Herrera.
- Kylian Mbappé: described as a "super-hero".
- Ángel Di María: cited as the fourth names of the Parisian dressing room.
- Dressing room management: difficult but doable, the coach must sometimes take decisive steps for collective balance.
Your questions, our answers
Q: Who said Messi was « unique » ?
A: Ander Herrera, Real Zaragoza midfielder and former Paris Saint-Germain player, said Lionel Messi was a player who would not be seen again.
Q: What did Herrera say about Messi's training ?
A: Herrera said Messi showed exceptional consistency in training, almost never losing the ball and delivering his best level every day.
Q: Which other players did Herrera mention ?
A: He mentioned Neymar, described as football's magic, Kylian Mbappé as a 'super-hero', and added Ángel Di María among the standout names in the PSG dressing room.