Former Barcelona and Real Madrid forward Javier Saviola played with the likes of Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho but claims one ex-Barca star, who was pivotal to the club’s success, went unnoticed.
Saviola, 43, had the privilege of playing for Spain’s biggest clubs and was even included in Pele’s FIFA 100 – a prestigious list featuring the Brazilian legend’s greatest living footballers – in March 2004.
The Argentine forward featured alongside several South American football icons, including 1978 World Cup winner Mario Kempes, Brazilian phenomenon Ronaldo Nazario, and the legendary Diego Maradona.
During the 2003/04 season with Barcelona, Saviola delivered impressive statistics, scoring 19 goals and providing seven assists across 46 appearances for the Blaugrana. Little did he know that a young Argentine named Messi would soon make his Barcelona debut in October that year and revolutionize the sport forever.
Throughout his career, Saviola shared the pitch with Messi on 11 occasions, both for Barcelona and the Argentina national team.
Barcelona’s Unrecognized Midfield Maestro
Despite playing alongside football luminaries like Xavi, Andres Iniesta, and Ronaldinho, Saviola identified another Barcelona midfielder as the biggest ‘unsung hero’ of the Catalan giants:
“For me, it’s Sergio Busquets,” Saviola told SPORTbible in an exclusive interview on behalf of casino.org.
Though Saviola never played alongside Busquets, he faced him twice during his time at Malaga in the 2012/13 season.
“He’s an outstanding, spectacular player with intelligence far beyond the norm,” Saviola explained. “When you watch his matches—whether at Barça or now at Inter—you realize how naturally he plays, making difficult things look simple.”
“Many times, he goes unnoticed because of his low profile, but his impact on the game is massive. He can play extraordinary matches, but when you’re in a team with players like Xavi, Iniesta, or Messi, they attract the attention because they’re scoring goals.”
“People do appreciate how incredible he is, but I don’t think he always gets the recognition he truly deserves.”
Crossing the El Clásico Divide
One of the most controversial chapters in Saviola’s career came in 2007 when he took the rare path from Barcelona to Real Madrid. Only a handful of players have crossed this fierce rivalry divide, including Michael Laudrup, Gheorghe Hagi, and most famously Luis Figo in 2000.
After 208 appearances for Barcelona, why did Saviola make the controversial switch to Madrid?
“When my contract with Barça ended, the opportunity to sign for Real Madrid arose—another global giant,” Saviola explained. “I didn’t overthink it because I wanted my career to continue progressing at top clubs, which is every footballer’s ambition.”
“The best thing when you come to Europe is to maintain continuity at the highest level. When Madrid showed interest, I couldn’t turn down the chance to be part of their storied history. Being a Real Madrid player opens doors worldwide.”
Saviola made 31 appearances for Los Blancos before departing in 2009. His career journey continued with spells at Malaga, Olympiacos, Verona, and River Plate before transitioning into coaching. He served as Barcelona’s Under-19 coach during the 2022/23 season after initially working as an assistant coach at Andorran Premier League side Ordino in 2016.
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