Lionel Messi once revealed that he would never play for the English Premier League in his whole soccer career. Although he has immense respect for the League but leaving his then-club Barcelona was out of the question for him.
In an old interview, when asked about his thoughts on playing for the English Premier League, Lionel Messi revealed, “I don’t even think about that. Barcelona is my life, they have brought me to where I am today. and I could not leave. I could not leave, I don’t want to leave. I know the Premier League is very good and I watch the matches on TV when I get the chance.”
He further added, “I could not leave, I don’t want to leave. I know the Premier League is very good and I watch the matches on TV when I get the chance. But for me, I cannot see myself playing in England because my heart is with Barcelona, always. They are a great club – I love the club, the people, everything.”
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The World Cup winner, however, had to leave his boyhood club eventually as the club failed to register the player back in 2021 due to financial problems. Lionel Messi then joined the Ligue 1 giants PSG after leaving the Catalan club.
Barcelona tried to bring back Messi after his contract with the French club expired. However, they were unable to do so as the player opted to make a switch to the United States.
Lionel Messi shares his admiration for the English clubs
The 36-year-old shared his admiration for the English club after Barcelona’s 4-1 win against Arsenal in the Champions Quarterfinals in the 2009-2010 season.
In a post-match interview, Lionel Messi shared, “One of the Arsenal players came up to me afterward and said it had been an honor to be on the same pitch as me. I thought, ‘My God, that is a great thing to say when your team has just lost.'”
He further continued, “I will always remember that. English clubs are physical and tough, and they play strong for the whole game. But afterward, they shake hands and they are fair.”
The player was linked with English club Chelsea after he announced his decision to leave PSG this summer. However, there were no official steps taken by the English club to approach the player.
Messi eventually decided to join Inter Miami amidst several offers from both European and Saudi Arabian clubs. And given the player’s age, it is very unlikely for him to ever play in the Premier League.