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Lionel Messi has admitted that he planned to go back to Barcelona but his intended return did not eventually work out.
The Argentine, who now plies his trade faraway in the United States’ side Inter Miami, has now opened up to his inability to join Barcelona after the 2022 World Cup but the decision to move to a different club entirely was the best he could take at that time.
Messi won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar whilst he was at Paris Saint-Germain but set his sights on a return to Barcelona, a club that he has great admiration after several successful years there.
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Speaking to Simplemente Fútbol, Messi said, ‘I had the intention of returning to Barcelona and being able to go back to a place I always wanted to be, but it wasn’t possible again’
“After that, it (deciding on a new club) became a family decision. The fact that we won the World Cup also had a big impact.
“I was clear that I didn’t want to be at another team in Europe, I didn’t want to go to any of them”.
Messi played at Barca for 17 seasons and won a total of 35 trophies, including ten (10) Laliga titles and four (4) Champions League titles.
At Inter Miami, he has won two trophies – the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield.
World football governing body FIFA has revealed that the winners of the 2025 Club World Cup will earn up to $125 million.
This was confirmed in a statement from FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, on Wednesday.
Earlier this month, the world football’s governing body announced a total prize of $1 billion for the event that will be hosted in the United States between June 14 and July 13, 2025.
About half of the $1 billion purse will be divided among all 32 clubs, with the amount per club based on sporting and commercial criteria.
