How Lionel Messi has grown under Pep Guardiola at Barcelona - & it has nothing to do with hormones

Before Guardiola's arrival, the Argentina forward hadn't managed to score 20 goals in a season for the Catalan giants. Now he averages double that - and it's no coincidence

Lionel Messi has, quite literally, grown up at Barcelona. The brilliant Argentine forward is now the best player in the world, but he wouldn't be where he is today without the Catalan club.

Already a brilliant prospect as an 11-year-old, Messi was starring in the youth side at Newell's and was also impressing River Plate. But there was a problem: he was diagnosed with a hormone deficiency. At that time, Argentina had been plunged into a severe economic crisis and no clubs were willing to pay the $900 per month treatment.

Barcelona found out, and on discovering the player had relatives in nearby Lleida, a contract was quickly drawn up, and a serviette signed (that was the only paper then-Barca sporting director Carles Rexach had on him at the time). Messi came over to the Catalan capital on trial, scored five times in his first appearance, earned a professional contract and became the best there is. And he grew.

Doctors in Argentina had predicted Messi would only ever reach four feet seven inches (1.40m) tall, but treatment in Barcelona allowed the youngster to sprout to five feet seven (1.69m). With multi-million signings routinely made by the Catalan club, the small outlay spent on Messi's medical treatment may just be the best investment in the history of the famous institution.

Messi debuted for the first-team as a 17-year-old against Espanyol under Frank Rijkaard and immediately impressed. A fine goal against Albacete followed, and Barcelona's fans could sense they were witnessing something special.

And they were. But perhaps even they could not have imagined just how special a player Messi would become. The Argentine was brilliant in those early years under Rijkaard and his greatest goal remains the Maradona-esque solo effort against Getafe. Since the arrival of Pep Guardiola, however, the Argentine has hit new heights.

Messi's record under Rijkaard

A quick look at the stats tells the story: Messi is a far better player now than he was under Rijkaard. In his last season under the Dutch coach, Messi scored 16 goals in 40 appearances, having netted 17 from 36 in the previous campaign. Since then, however, the Argentine has more than doubled those tallies, bagging 38, 47 and 53 strikes in the three seasons under Guardiola.

It's no coincidence, of course. Ask Messi and he'll say that Guardiola has allowed him to play closer to the area, and while that is true, it is only the half the story.

When Messi progressed into the first team at Barcelona, the star player was Ronaldinho. All of Barca's best play went through the brilliant Brazilian until a terrible loss of form meant the club could no longer rely on their No. 10. Little by little, Messi began to enjoy more responsibility, but harmony had been lost and in-fighting was disrupting team performances. Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o and Deco were at war; the egos had landed.

Messi's record under Guardiola

So Guardiola's first decision on succeeding Rijkaard - who was unable to survive a second trophyless campaign - was to sell all three. In the end, Eto'o stayed, but with Deco and Ronaldinho no longer around, the Cameroonian's influence was instantly more positive. The departure of Ronaldinho also aided Messi. The Argentine was handed the No. 10 shirt and handed more responsibility on the right. The high-tempo style preferred by Guardiola meant Barca began to win the ball back further up the pitch and Messi, interchanging brilliantly with Eto'o, enjoyed greater possession in more dangerous areas. Starting from the right, he scored 38 times and provided 18 assists as Barca won the treble.

Since the departure of Eto'o, Messi has been given even greater responsibilities by Guardiola. He has since started mostly in a central position and the results have been astounding: 100 goals in the last two seasons.

So yes, Messi is playing closer to the area than before. But he has also thrived on the added onus placed upon him by Guardiola, a master motivator who has been - as Rijkaard was - something of a father figure to the 23-year-old.

He has long since emerged from the shadow of Ronaldinho to become Barca's undisputed leader in attack and he has formed an outstanding association with Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Co., which just gets better and better. He has also remained free of serious injuries following two long lay-offs under Rijkaard, and Guardiola can take some credit there too - Barca now use an advanced machine that can detect when players are exhausted and prone to injury.

The forward is also reaping the rewards from Barca's high-tempo pressing style, while becoming a better player thanks to top-class coaching and experience, and benefiting from the human touch and man-management qualities of his leader. But above all, Messi has grown up since the arrival of Guardiola - and it has nothing to do with the hormones.