When it comes to playing, he’s everywhere. But in the media—not so much. Lionel Messi isn’t a man of a thousand words; he’s a footballer of a million moves. That’s exactly why we sometimes long to hear him speak. Back in Barcelona, when he did speak up, it could shake the boardroom. Nowadays, he leads a peaceful life at Inter Miami. Even though, as he admits in a one-hour interview with Simplemente Futbol, he never actually planned to stay in Florida for this long.🔵🔴🎞️ Leo Messi: “I had the intention of returning to Barcelona and being able to go back to a place I always wanted to be, but it was NOT possible again”.”After that, it became a family decision. The fact that we won the World Cup also had a big impact. I was clear that I… pic.twitter.com/hH6DZD1G68— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 17, 2025 His plan? To return to Barcelona right after parting ways with Paris Saint-Germain in 2023.“My intention was to go back to Barcelona. That’s where I always wanted to be. But it just wasn’t possible anymore. So it became a family decision. Winning the World Cup with Argentina also played a role. I was sure I didn’t want to play for another European club. That never even crossed my mind. Then we decided as a family to move to the U.S., to play in a developing club, in a growing league,” Messi said. Staying in Paris was not an option.Messi and Ronaldo back on the pitch together again?“I had just come out of two complicated seasons. In Barcelona, we had a certain way of living… My family liked Paris, but I didn’t feel comfortable in my daily life, or at training. We wanted to make sure the family was okay, but also that I could enjoy myself.”And now? He says he truly is enjoying it.“I can’t ask for anything more. I want to compete and win. That’s who I am. That’s how I was raised.Still, no place brought him more success than Barcelona.”I was mad at Messi. He can hit you in the face if he want to”“I always say, that first locker room I stepped into was incredible. I’m so thankful for the warm welcome from Ronaldinho, Deco, Sylvinho, then Xavi and Iniesta who were already there, and Puyol… Big names and an amazing team. We immediately won the Champions League after a long wait. Frank Rijkaard believed in me and made me part of a great team. I truly enjoyed it.”🗣️ Messi on which of his children is better at football: “They are very different. Thiago is more of a mastermind, an organiser, a midfielder… Mateo is more of a striker, he likes to score goals, intelligent… And Ciro is more explosive, a lot of tackles and duels.” pic.twitter.com/UdGvIUgAcq— The Touchline | Football Coverage (@TouchlineX) April 18, 2025 The golden years were still ahead—and many credit Pep Guardiola with unlocking Messi’s full potential.“Pep Guardiola is from another planet. He’s different—he sees things no one else does. He changed football. In fact, in a way, he hurt it. Because everyone wanted to copy us, to play like Barcelona, but we were a unique team. That connection with Xavi, Busi, Iniesta… it was all perfect. Same with the bond between coach and player.”🚨 Leo Messi: “Pep Guardiola is from another world”.“He’s different, he sees things no one else does. He changed football. Everyone wanted to copy us. In fact, he kind of did harm to football, because people tried to play like our Barcelona”, told Simplemente Futbol. pic.twitter.com/c7NQmt4vwy— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 18, 2025 His international career, on the other hand, took a rockier path. But eventually, Messi managed to win the 2022 World Cup and two Copa America titles.“Yes, God gave me everything. I won everything with my club, and also with my national team. I think I’ll only start to truly appreciate it with time. That final (against Germany in 2014) was torture for me. You get so close, but don’t win. I only softened once we became champions later. You accept it differently. I could’ve won two World Cups—but at least I have one.”And maybe there’s still a shot at a second? Messi will have another opportunity in 2026. True, he’ll be 38, possibly turning 39 during the tournament.🗣️ Lionel Messi: “I am grateful to God for everything he has given me, I have always said so… I tried hard, I did everything to get better every day, but I was also born this way. Because when I was a little boy I already played this way. It’s a gift that God gave me.” pic.twitter.com/ynA4PJeGEz— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) April 18, 2025 “That’s still far off, though time flies. But the upcoming season will be important—whether I can play regularly and feel good. Last season, I started with injuries during preseason. This one has gone well. I feel good. But it’s a long season and goes until December. Plus, we have the Club World Cup. I’m thinking about it, of course—but I don’t want to set goals. I’m taking it day by day, and we’ll see how I feel mentally and physically. I have to be honest with myself,” Messi concluded.##NAJAVA_MECA_8867793##
