Lionel Messi played for FC Barcelona for 17 seasons, from 2004 to 2021. During that time, his influence within the club grew alongside his reputation as a player, giving him significant decision-making power over certain aspects of the team, according to a former player.
Kevin-Prince Boateng gave an interview this week to Unscripted with Josh Mansour, where he reflected on different moments of his professional career, including his brief stint with the Catalan side. There, he described an unusual experience that illustrates how decisions were made at the club at that time.
“Before I went to Barcelona, they had two sporting directors. One of them was Eric Abidal. He said, ‘Yes, we want you,’” Boateng began. “Then the other sporting director said, ‘We want you.’ The president said, ‘We want you.’ The coach says, ‘We want you.’ And I said, ‘Perfect, I’m gonna sign tomorrow.’ They said, ‘No, we need to speak to Leo first.’”
Boateng admitted he was surprised by the situation. “I was like, ‘What you mean?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, we need to speak to Leo,’” the Ghanaian forward recalled. “He had that power. So I was going to sleep hoping that Leo likes me or sees me in the team. I was like, ‘Tomorrow, I can sign my shirt with Barcelona, but if Leo says no, I would not sign my contract.’”
Kevin-Prince Boateng playing for Barcelona.
In the end, Messi’s approval came through, and Boateng joined the team. “I woke up in the morning and they said, ‘All good.’ And I was like, ‘Ohh, OK!’” he recalled. However, the experience was short-lived, as the forward played only 4 matches with Barcelona in 2018 before moving to Fiorentina.
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Those six months at FC Barcelona left little mark on Boateng’s career, but they gave him insight into the day-to-day life of the Argentine superstar. “Messi, cool guy,” he said in the same interview. “Very quiet. He only speaks with his feet on the field, which I admire because a lot of people talk a lot but don’t perform.”
Regarding his personal experience with Messi, Kevin-Prince was candid. “He’s very quiet, he chooses who to talk to, very selective. But me and him, we were cool. He hugged me, said ‘Welcome, so good to see you.’ I was surprised, ‘Wow, OK,’” the Ghanaian forward recalled.
Boateng weighs in on Messi’s potential Barcelona return
The interview with Boateng comes amid growing speculation about a possible return of Lionel Messi to FC Barcelona, fueled by Leo’s surprise visit to Camp Nou. When asked about a potential second stint for the Argentine forward at the club, Boateng expressed optimism.
“He could, because the way he plays, he could still play five years,” Kevin-Prince said. To illustrate, he drew a comparison with another soccer superstar: “Because the team around him plays for him. It’s a different way of playing, like Cristiano for example.”
As Boateng points out, Messi’s athletic ability does not appear to be an obstacle to imagining a return to FC Barcelona. Instead, contractual matters represent the main challenge, considering Messi’s current contract with Inter Miami runs through December 2028.
