Lionel Messi announces future desire to play for Newell's Old Boys
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner, 30, would one day like to feature for the team he trained with as a boy in his native Rosario before moving to Barcelona at 13
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Lionel Messi would like to play for Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina before he retires, having only played for Barcelona in his career so far.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, 30, would one day like to feature for the team he trained with as a boy in his native Rosario before moving to Barcelona at 13, where he has a contract until 2021.
“I’m increasingly sure that in Europe, Barcelona will be my only club,” Messi told Argentine television station El Trece.
“I always said I wanted to play in Argentine football one day, I don’t know if it will happen but I have it in my mind.
“It would be at Newell’s, nowhere else. I would like to do that for at least six months, but you never know what will happen.”
Messi is preparing for the World Cup in Russia with Argentina and says winning it with his country would be a unique experience, and he does not wish he had chosen as a young boy to play for Spain, who lifted the trophy in 2010.
“The other day I was talking to a friend and he told me ‘if you had chosen Spain, you’d be a World Cup winner already’, but it wouldn’t have been the same,” added Messi.
“Obviously in no moment did I think about doing that. To win it with Argentina would be something unique.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments