EXCLUSIVE | Leonardo Balerdi on Marseille, Messi, becoming a leader, and life under Roberto De Zerbi | OneFootball

In an exclusive interview with Get French Football News, Olympique de Marseille captain Leonardo Balerdi reflects on his turbulent early years at the club, the moments that changed his career, his evolution into a leader, and the profound impact Roberto De Zerbi has had on his football.The Argentine defender also speaks about competition in OM’s new-look backline, his hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup, facing Lionel Messi, and the club’s ambitions heading into a crucial Champions League meeting with Newcastle.When you look back at your arrival in 2021, those first two years were bumpy — lots of criticism, lots of pressure. There was even a Marseille supporter who went on a hunger strike because he felt so strongly about you. How do you reflect on that period now?

When I arrived here, the truth is that I had only played around ten professional matches. It was difficult at the start because I didn’t have confidence in myself, and I didn’t yet have the experience of senior football. I’d played five games for Boca Juniors and then, in a year and a half with Dortmund, only eight. But I also knew that Marseille is a big club and that big clubs expect immediate results – which is normal, but maybe people didn’t see that reality.

I learned and grew a lot mentally during those first two years. And whatever happened, I knew I couldn’t let things get to me… or at least not as much. Those two years gave me a lot of good things.

When do you feel things really changed for you at OM? You played under Jorge Sampaoli and then Igor Tudor…

There are some key moments that changed everything for me at Marseille. Firstly, my shoulder operation. Before that, I wasn’t playing at 100%. I was managing the injury and sometimes it would come out during matches. I had to learn how to compete with strikers without letting the shoulder pop out. Then came confidence — I became stronger mentally.”

And then Igor Tudor. He trusted me a lot. He gave me a lot of minutes and with him things really started to shift. He has a way of thinking and a level of intensity in training that changed me a lot, especially in terms of mentality.

After the chaotic 2023–24 season with three different managers, you emerged as one of the leaders. How did that evolution happen?

Even in my first and second years, I did things away from training that other players perhaps didn’t. By that season, I already knew what it meant to play for OM.

There were a lot of changes, but I was used to it, and I knew how to handle those situations at OM. Even though it was a season in which we suffered a lot, for me it was a good one. I was calm, I knew what I had to do on the pitch and what needed to change — even if there was chaos outside. I knew what I had to give the team: consistency, and confidence for my teammates.

We’ve spoken about your personality as a player — what is that like as a captain?

I try to be an example, to do things properly. That way other players can look at you. I try to speak in front of the group, but I’m not sure that’s my biggest strength. I’m better one-to-one, giving players confidence. Because in the past, I needed moments like that myself – you have to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.Your first impressions of Roberto De Zerbi, I know you already faced Brighton in the Europa League?

We didn’t touch the ball when we played against Brighton. For us that was hard [the Europa League return game], and when I spoke to the coach I never wanted to say that, so I said it was an equal game to not please him too much!

And when he became your coach at Marseille? What were your first interactions like?

When he got the Marseille job, he sent me a message straight away. His words really moved me — it told me exactly what kind of coach he was. I said to myself: this is going to be something special.

And from the moment he arrived, what struck me was his passion for football. It’s different. He sees football in another way. And beyond the pitch, you can see he tries to build a close relationship with his players.

On the pitch, De Zerbi asks his central defenders to do very specific things — waiting for the press trigger, playing into a double pivot. How has that developed over the last season and a half?

When he arrived, he started asking me to do things no other coach had asked. Before, I focused mainly on the defensive phase. Now it’s both phases. You need to be concentrated without the ball, but with the ball, the demands are the same.

As a centre-back, we’re the first to receive the ball after Gerónimo Rulli — he’s our goalkeeper, but sometimes he plays like a midfielder.

With me, and now Facundo Medina, Benjamin Pavard and Nayef Aguerd, we’re always focused on finding space, on finding the third man. And in one-against-one situations, we try to go long. Before, defending was simpler – you think ‘there’s the No 9, don’t let him receive the ball.’ Now that’s all finished.

It’s helped me grow — and I know it — and it’s helped every player who has played under him. He’s so demanding. We have to use both feet, sometimes play one-touch. He shows you all these possible passing options so that decisions you make become easier.

Is there a moment or a piece of advice from De Zerbi that has stayed with you?

There’s a phrase I always remember: he says the Vélodrome is like a ‘specchio’ – a mirror. And I think that’s when I knew he really understood Marseille.

When you play well and give 100%, the Vélodrome is with you. You feel it, you live it. And if you don’t give 100%, if you make mistakes, you’ll feel that too. The supporters play a massive role. They give you the energy to put things right.

The first weeks of this season were turbulent with the exits of Jonathan Rowe and Adrien Rabiot. What was it like to go through that as captain?It was very hard for me because it didn’t just involve two teammates – it involved two friends who had to leave. These things happen when there’s ambition and passion.

But you have to take responsibility and fix things. After that match, we had seven or eight players arrive, and thanks to their quick adaptation, we really got our season started.

The start wasn’t easy, but with the signings and the players who stayed, we’re having a very good season. There are still little things to improve. We need to win in the Champions League because we want to qualify. But we’re on the right path. With the coach and the ambition I hear from everyone, I think we can achieve something this season.

How have Benjamin Pavard, Nayef Aguerd and Emerson helped the defence this season?

Firstly, we changed tactically – we’re not playing as high as before. And these players have incredible qualities and a lot of experience. From the first training sessions you could feel the mutual understanding. You feel what they want to do and they feel what you want to do. If one of us makes a mistake, we feel like we have each other’s backs.

When there’s competition, it’s better. I love healthy competition. There are a lot of changes each match and yes, I can end up on the bench – and I know that. It pushes me to be better and stay 100% focused.

You’ve progressed a lot at OM these past two seasons. What is your relationship like with Argentina and Lionel Scaloni? Have you spoken with him this year?

I’ve known Scaloni for a long time. I was in the U20s at a tournament in Spain and since then I’ve always had a good relationship with him. He’s relaxed, he doesn’t speak too much — but when he does, he’s precise. We don’t really talk about what will happen in the next year.

My objective is to go to the World Cup. It would be a dream to win something with the national team. But I have to stay in the present – otherwise my head will explode with everything else happening.

You faced Lionel Messi several times when he was at PSG – what did you learn?

You try not to think too much about who he is. But there was one game before the 2022 World Cup when all my friends messaged me: ‘Do NOT injure Messi.’ I said: ‘Don’t say that!’ And then I played the game normally. Playing against him was special. But he also played for PSG, and I wanted to beat him. As a player, he’s something else.

He’s like Maradona: he put Argentina on the map. For our generation, Messi represents football – our football, our people, our neighbourhoods. We’ve been lucky to have Maradona and now Messi. You have to enjoy it whilst he’s still playing.

Safe to say you’re hoping to be in a dressing room with him at the World Cup in the Summer?

Yes, I hope so!

You’ve got a big game coming up against Newcastle. What are OM’s ambitions in the Champions League?

We know we need to beat Newcastle to keep our hopes alive. The ambition is to go as far as possible. In Ligue 1, the first goal is to qualify for the Champions League again.

We have a lot of ambition in the dressing room – we keep that to ourselves, but what I can say is that we want to fight until the final matchday. We want to give something good back to the supporters.

Finally, what’s the most “Marseille” thing that’s happened to you?

One day, I was driving, and a police van with sirens stopped right in front of me. I thought I was in trouble – ‘What have I done?’ Then three or four officers got out and started shouting ‘Allez l’OM!’ and singing.

After a few seconds, they got back in and drove away. It was just a normal day, but it was brilliant. I laughed a lot. I thought: ‘OK, I’m good here now.GFFN | George Boxall – reporting from Marseille