I Am Done With European Football – Lionel Messi Insists, Gives Reasons
Argentina football icon, Lionel Messi, has insisted that he is done with European football.
Messi arrived in Europe in 2000 from the Argentine club, Newell’s Old Boys, to FC Barcelona, who oversaw his development through their prestigious football academy, La Masia.
He got into FC Barcelona’s senior team in 2004 after going through the robes, and since then, he has been unstoppable in the game.
Before he left Barcelona for Paris Saint Germain in 2021, Lionel Messi won a club-record 34 trophies, including ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles and four UEFA Champions League titles.
Despite being booed at PSG, Messi, who is currently 36-year-old helped the French club to win the league title twice, and the Trophée des Champions once.
Messi left European club football in July 2023 for Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States, where he currently plays for Inter Miami, which is co-owned by English football legend David Beckham.
On Monday, October 30, Lionel Messi became the first player in the history of football to win the Ballon d’Or a record eight times. He achieved this feat after leading Argentina to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
After winning his 8th Ballon d’Or, Messi, who is always linked with a possible return to FC Barcelona, told French publication, L’Équipé that he has no business playing football in Europe again.
He said, “Is European football closed for you? Yes. Thanks to God, I had an extraordinary career in Europe and won everything I have dreamed of”.
“Now that I have decided to come to the USA, I don’t think I will ever return to playing in Europe”.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
