A surreal scene unfolded as the Barcelona team coach headed down the A90 on Saturday evening, en route to Edinburgh airport, as they headed off to the United States, the next port of call in their global branding mission: Scotland's best paid bunch of seasonal workers briefly passed through the lives of its poorest.

Lionel Messi and co probably did not take too much notice of the dozens of berry pickers who had decanted from a more modest bus from Dundee and were walking across the fields. Perhaps the footballers, more than £200million-worth of talent was on board, were equally captivated by the stunning views of that part of Perthshire, with the River Tay on one side and the hills framed by the setting sun on the other. At least the scenery is free for the migrant fruit workers.

The Spanish club were wrapping up yet another successful pre-season tour of Scotland. Five days spent in luxurious surroundings at St Andrews, perfect temperatures for a training camp in contrast to the baking weather at home, and two goal-laden, stylish, friendly victories to enhance morale.

Messi earns more in a day than any gang of fruit pickers would take home in a month but he seemed to be on piece work on this trip to Scotland. The young Argentina international eagerly netted four of the 11 Barcelona goals that stripped Hibernian and Dundee United of their dignity, including a second-half hat-trick at Tannadice on Saturday that required just 23 minutes once he came off the bench.

One of Messi's colleagues, Eidur Gudjohnsen, was taken aback by Scotland's love affair with Barça. “Everyone wants to give us a helping hand and they have welcomed us with open arms,” the former Chelsea player said. “I missed the tour here last year because of injury but this has been perfect for us. We have had good workouts in both games and the training sessions have been excellent. This has been a good trip for us.”

The Dundee United crowd, players and even manager, were captivated by the world's No1 talent. Messi was cheered to the rafters by the United fans even when he went to take a corner, despite the pain he was inflicting on their favourites. At the end, Carlos Puyol, the club captain, led the Barcelona team to applaud the Tannadice supporters.

Craig Levein later jokingly asked his counterpart, Pep Guardiola, if he would sell Messi to Dundee United. “It's not often you'll see me walk in here after a 5-1 defeat with a smile on my face but it's just because Messi was so fantastic to watch, “ the United manager said.

Right now, Messi is priceless. Guardiola is reconstructing a new Barça after taking over from Frank Rijkaard. He actually named two sides for the Tannadice occasion, one with Thierry Henry - who scored the equaliser after Prince Buaben had put United in front - and the other with Messi and Samuel Eto'o, who came on after half-time and devoured United.

Such was the wealth of riches at Guardiola's disposal that he was able to allow another new signing, Alexander Hleb, purchased from Arsenal for £12million, to put his feet up for the day. However, Messi underlined why he remains a pivotal influence at the Nou Camp, and why Barcelona do not want him to go to the Olympics next month when La Liga starts.

“When a new manager comes in, it is a fresh start,” Gudjohnsen said. “We all have to prove ourselves again. The manager will look at the squad and pick the best 11 but we all know we must do everything we can and that showed in the two games here.”

Dundee United may be the only team in Europe who can boast of a 100 per cent record against Barcelona in competitive games - winning all four matches in their two Uefa Cup triumphs of 1967 and 1987 - but the gulf between the clubs has grown immeasurably since Jim McLean humbled Terry Venables in the Nou Camp two decades ago, en route to the final.

Indeed, their best player from last season's friendly with Barça, Barry Robson, was cherry picked by Celtic last January and then scored against the Catalan club in the Champions League last-16 tie a month later. Levein lost his other most influential player last Friday when the top scorer, Noel Hunt, was bought by Reading for £600,000.

United's new arrivals are all Bosman signings, such as Francisco Sandaza, who played for Valencia's B side, or loan recruits like Warren Feeney. The Northern Irishman has moved from Cardiff City for the season and linked up well with Jon Daly in attack in the first half, and then set up Buaben to bury a powerful header past Victor Valdes in the 25th minute as Tannadice exploded in celebration.

The roars were stifled within 60 seconds, when Henry seized on a mistake by Darren Dods to finish off a cross from Daniel Alves, a£23million signing. United changed goalkeepers at the interval and newcomer Michael McGovern, signed from Celtic, found himself picking the ball out the net four times once Messi and Eto'o took advantage of some slack defending and inscribed their own stylish touch on proceedings. Messi's volley, for the fourth goal, after a deft lay off from Eto'o, was worth the admission money on its own.

“I thought we more than matched them in the first half,” Feeney said. “However, then they brought on a guy called Messi. I have played against a few good players but no one to touch him. When you watch his balance, it is incredible.”

Feeney is disappointed to find that Hunt has moved to Reading, just as the pair were forming a partnership. “I am gutted to see Noel go as I was comfortable playing alongside him.”