Leonardo Balerdi on Marseille, Lionel Messi and proving angry fans wrong

The centre-back had a difficult start in Ligue 1 but now he is captaining the club and dreaming of winning the World CupBy Get French Football NewsLeonardo Balerdi bursts into laughter as he describes the moment a police van stopped in front of his car in Marseille, sirens blaring, only for four officers to jump out, shout and sing “Allez l’OM!” and drive off again. “It was just a normal day, but it was brilliant. I thought: OK, I’m good here now,” he says with a smile. Marseille is a city that lives and breathes for its football club. Yet that same volcanic passion can weigh as heavily as it lifts – and Balerdi has felt both sides of it.In his early days at Marseille, a supporter staged a hunger strike outside the club’s training ground to protest against his continued presence in the team after he made mistakes in defeats to Paris Saint-Germain and Annecy. “I learned and grew a lot mentally during these years,” says the 26-year-old. “Whatever happened, I knew I couldn’t let things ge