From Protested Signing to Marseille Captain
Leonardo Balerdi's journey at Marseille has been nothing short of remarkable. The Argentine defender, who once faced a fan hunger strike protesting his presence in the team, now captains the side and returns from a calf injury just in time for their crucial Champions League encounter against Newcastle United.
The 26-year-old centre-back recalls his difficult early days with remarkable candour. "I didn't have confidence in myself and I didn't yet have the experience of senior football," Balerdi admits, reflecting on his arrival in 2021 with just five appearances for Boca Juniors and seven for Borussia Dortmund. "Marseille is a big club and big clubs expect immediate results. Maybe people didn't see that reality."
Transformation Under Tudor and De Zerbi's Revolution
Balerdi's evolution into the leader he is today began under former manager Igor Tudor. "He trusted me a lot," says the defender. "He changed me mentally. That shift started with him." This foundation proved crucial during last season's managerial chaos that saw Marcelino, Gennaro Gattuso and Jean-Louis Gasset all pass through the dugout.
The arrival of Roberto De Zerbi marked another significant step in Balerdi's development. When the Italian took charge, he contacted Balerdi immediately. "The message and his words really moved me," Balerdi reveals. "I said to myself: This is going to be something special."
Playing centre-back in a De Zerbi system presents unique challenges. "He asked me to do things no other coach had," Balerdi explains. "We're always focused on finding space, waiting for pressure to come and then finding the third man."
World Cup Dreams and Messi Memories
Beyond the immediate challenge of Newcastle, Balerdi has his sights set on a bigger prize – a place in Argentina's squad for the World Cup. "My objective is to go to the World Cup," he states with conviction. "It would be a dream to win something with the national team."
Competition for places is fierce, but Balerdi's performances over the last two seasons have put him in contention. The mention of Argentina inevitably brings thoughts of Lionel Messi, whom Balerdi faced in Le Classique. "You try not to think too much about who he is," Balerdi says, "but there was one game before the 2022 World Cup when all my friends messaged me: 'Do NOT injure Messi.'"
He reflects on Messi's significance: "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 while he's still playing."
For now, Balerdi remains focused on the present. "I have to stay in the moment, otherwise my head will explode with everything else happening." His return couldn't be better timed as Marseille push to save their European campaign, with the defender's leadership proving invaluable to a team finding its defensive resilience under De Zerbi's revolutionary methods.
