“I had to lie that Messi is the best in the world to play for Barca,” Boateng reveals – Reactions

In a candid interview on ‘VIBE with FIVE,’ Kevin-Prince Boateng, a staunch supporter of Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo, divulged the intriguing tale of how he found himself donning the iconic Barcelona jersey, despite his allegiance lying elsewhere.

Boateng, the former maestro of Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona, and AC Milan, among other illustrious clubs, opened up about his stint with the Catalan giants.

He confessed that he had been compelled to publicly proclaim Lionel Messi as the world’s preeminent player.

Born on March 6, 1987, in Germany, Boateng, who plied his trade as a midfielder and forward, was also an integral part of the Ghana national team.

Boateng’s entry into the Spanish La Liga happened on January 21, 2019, when he joined Barcelona on a loan deal that would extend until the culmination of the 2018–19 season.

His Barcelona signing was primarily intended to bolster the squad following Munir El Haddadi’s departure to Sevilla, offering backup support to Luis Suárez.

The club retained the option to secure his permanent services for an €8 million transfer fee.

Remarkably, this transfer marked Boateng as the first Ghanaian to represent the illustrious club.

He made his club debut on January 23rd, during a challenging 2–0 defeat to Sevilla in the initial leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.

Notably, Boateng’s sojourn in Barcelona, which commenced in January 2019 when he was loaned from Sassuolo, was relatively brief.

The Ghanaian footballer featured in just five matches for the Spanish giants, notching no goals. Nonetheless, his tenure culminated with a triumph in La Liga.

After an illustrious 18-year career, Kevin-Prince Boateng decided to hang up his boots at the conclusion of the 2022–23 campaign.

The gifted playmaker, who left an indelible mark at esteemed clubs like Barcelona and AC Milan, reflected on his time at the Catalan side during an interview on Rio Ferdinand’s ‘VIBE with FIVE’ podcast.

Boateng was candid about the unusual circumstances surrounding his Barcelona time.

He confessed, “I remember that when I arrived in Barcelona, they immediately asked me who the best player in the world was. I had to say it was Lionel Messi, but I lied. It was one of the biggest lies of my life. Normally I always tell the truth, but I lied because it was the only way to wear the Barcelona shirt.“

He continued, “I always supported Real Madrid when I was a teenager. I love Cristiano Ronaldo. But they told me I had to say that, otherwise I wouldn’t play.“

Furthermore, Boateng provided insights into what it was like to share a dressing room with the Argentinian maestro.

He remarked, “He [Messi] is the captain but doesn’t speak. We spoke one time in the shower because he asked if it’s difficult to score in Italy because Ronaldo was there at that time, and he showed the rivalry between them.“

Boateng added, “I told him that it was more difficult that Ronaldo was there, and he scored every game for three years. People forget too easily what he’s done there.“

Kevin-Prince Boateng’s revelation about his time at Barcelona offers a captivating glimpse into the intricacies of professional football and the lengths to which players sometimes go to pursue their dreams.

Despite his unwavering allegiance to Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo, Boateng donned the iconic Barcelona jersey, albeit with the caveat of publicly acknowledging Messi’s supremacy.

His honesty about the circumstances that led to this decision is both refreshing and revealing.

Here are some reactions to what Boateng reveals about his time at Barcelona.

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