Andres Iniesta hails Barcelona midfield star as ‘extraordinary footballer’ and urges him to forge his ‘own path‘ | OneFootball

Pedri Gonzalez has inarguably been one of the most important players for FC Barcelona ever since the arrival of Hansi Flick on the Blaugrana bench, and the Canarian midfielder has proven himself to be one of the very best players in his position in the last few months.

His superiority over his peers has already been recognized by some of the most notable voices in European football, including the Manchester United legend Paul Scholes, who has repeatedly recognized him as the best midfielder currently.

Now, as Mundo Deportivo reports, Pedri has received high praise from one of his own idols, Barcelona icon Andres Iniesta, who wrote an article in Barça Magazine highlighting the young midfielder’s qualities.

Iniesta begins by expressing his admiration for Pedri:

“I like Pedri. He is an extraordinary footballer. I love him because he has a background full of hard work and overcoming challenges. And above all, he has his own story.”

The former Barcelona midfielder also reflected on the pride he feels that Pedri views him as a childhood idol:

“It’s something beautiful and makes me feel proud that he said I was his childhood idol, that he looked up to my play. A reference. Who doesn’t like to hear something like that? When I was little, I also had idols who inspired me to try to be a better footballer every day.”

“Mine, as I imagine you all know, were Guardiola and Laudrup. But I never thought about trying to copy them or wanting to reach what they achieved in their successful careers. I focused on their gestures, their plays, their behaviors to try to take the best from each of them, learning from every detail in order to then develop my own authentic personality.”

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Iniesta also encouraged Pedri to forge his own path rather than follow in the footsteps of others:

“Avoiding, of course, any kind of comparison. Pedri doesn’t have to be me. He has to be Pedri, with his own characteristics, building his own path. That is the most valuable thing for anyone: to be oneself. And he is. Pedri is Pedri.”

He went on to highlight Pedri’s unique ability to influence games:

And, above all, he is a differential player, capable of creating plays that didn’t exist before. He invents passes that no one had seen before because he has great talent and is also gaining an increasingly important role, both at Barça and in the Spanish national team.”

Despite already being a standout performer, Iniesta believes Pedri has even more potential to unlock:

“He is still young, he really is, even though we have seen him at the elite level for many years. And in the way he understands this game, he is the most differential. Why? Because he does things that other footballers cannot do. Because he is capable of giving solutions to his teams when they need them most. Because he is selfless and generous, always thinking of others before himself.”

Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images

Iniesta concluded by sharing his hopes for Pedri’s future and praising the 22-year-old Barcelona midfielder’s attitude and mentality:

“My only wish is for Pedri to continue rising because I am also sure that the best is yet to come. It seems difficult, but he has so much, so much quality that I am convinced we will see another level from Pedri in the future. We already see it. He plays naturally, simply, and easily, which is the most difficult thing to do.”

“You watch and think anyone could do it. But we’re wrong because that’s not the case. Pedri has all that and something essential in any area of life: a desire to learn and a passion to improve. He enjoys himself, he makes us enjoy him… He has ambition and great potential, he’s at the perfect club to express all that talent, and he’s a guy with a very sound mind, as they say. He’s a different player, and that says a lot already. Let’s enjoy Pedri!”

Reading such words from one of his greatest idols is sure to mean a great deal to Pedri. Following Iniesta’s advice, he has the tools and inspiration to continue developing into one of the defining players of his generation.