Umtiti reveals Barça dressing room secrets: 'Winning everything doesn't make you superior'
The former Barcelona defender opens up about his time at Camp Nou, praising the humility of superstars like Messi and Iniesta despite their incredible success.
Former Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti has lifted the lid on the humble nature of the Catalan club’s superstars during his time at the Camp Nou, offering rare insight into what made that team so special.
Humility in the dressing room
Umtiti, who left Barcelona in summer 2023 and has since hung up his boots, spoke candidly about his first impressions upon joining the club in 2016.
“They had won the treble - League, Cup and Champions League - and yet they were people who would come and talk to you about everything and nothing. I felt at home from day one,” the Frenchman revealed on The Elevate House podcast.
What stands out most in Umtiti’s recollections is how the biggest names at the club - Iniesta, Busquets, Neymar and even Messi - would go out of their way to help newcomers integrate. According to the defender, this simplicity and camaraderie was central to Barcelona’s success: “That’s the strength of the club.”
The Iniesta lesson
Umtiti reserved special praise for Andrés Iniesta, whose character left a lasting impression: “Humanly, he’s top. You realize that even if you’ve won everything, it’s pointless to think you’re superior.”
The Messi mentality
The World Cup winner also shared insights into what made Lionel Messi so special beyond his obvious talent:
- “There’s only one, it’s Leo. At all levels.”
- Messi’s competitive drive was relentless - “If we won 4-0 and he didn’t score, he wasn’t happy.”
- “He’s a killer in front of goal. He always knew exactly when to accelerate and when to calm the game down.”
- “There’s no recipe for defending against Leo, he’s unpredictable.”
The famous remontada
Umtiti also touched on Barcelona’s legendary comeback against PSG in the 2016-17 Champions League round of 16. Despite losing 4-0 in Paris, Barça’s mentality heading into the second leg was unwavering.
“Before the match, Messi and Suárez knew they were going to destroy PSG,” Umtiti revealed about the famous 6-1 victory at the Camp Nou that sent shock waves through European football.
It’s clear from Umtiti’s words that Barcelona’s success during that golden era wasn’t just down to talent - it was built on a foundation of humility, ambition and an absolute refusal to accept defeat. Proper Bobby Dazzler of a team, that lot.