Messi reveals dream of playing in America
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3 Yrs Ago
Where Lionel Messi will play after the current European season is one of the biggest questions hanging over the game heading into 2021, and while the Argentine star insists he has taken no decision on what he will do next summer, he did reveal his interest in one day playing in the United States.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with La Sexta, Messi touched on a wide range of topics, including his interest in following in the path of legendary players such as Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic by spending part of his career playing in America.
"I always had the dream of being able to enjoy and have the experience of living in the United States, experience what the league there is like," Messi told La Sexta.
The 33-year-old is in the final year of his current contract with FC Barcelona, and will be free to move anywhere he wants to come the summer. There is no shortage of European giants interested in luring him from the Camp Nou, with Manchester City and Paris Saint Germain among the contenders.
Messi is free to begin negotiating with new teams on January 1, but he insists that he won’t have any discussions until after the current campaign concludes.
"I don't have anything clear until the end of the year," Messi said. "I am going to wait for the season to finish. The important thing is to think about the team and to try and win titles, not to get distracted with other issues.
"I don't know what will happen,” Messi said. “I am focused on what we have in front of us over the next six months. It would not be right to tell you what I am going to do after that because even I don't know."
A move to Manchester City was rumored to be a possibility last summer, after Messi attempted to force his way out of Barcelona. Messi admitted to still keeping in touch with his former boss, though he insists the two do not discuss reuniting on the same team.
“I don’t know how long my last chat with Pep Guardiola was, but we do talk,” Messi admitted. “We don’t talk about whether we are going to meet again. For me Pep is the best, he has something special.”
Messi’s revelation that he would like to play in the United States one day, coupled with his praise for Guardiola, should add some fuel to the rumor that Messi could join Manchester City this summer in a deal that would include him closing out his career with a season or two with New York City FC, Manchester City’s sister club in Major League Soccer.
Inter Miami, which counts David Beckham as a part owner and former Juventus standouts Gonzalo Higuain and Matiuidi as players, is another MLS team that has been linked to Messi in the past.
Leaving Barcelona isn’t guaranteed for Messi, especially not now that former president Josep Bartomeu has been forced out following a very public falling out with Messi. New leadership could compel Messi to stay if it made the kind of moves that would convince Messi Barcelona could compete for a Champions League title next season.
Messi is currently in Argentina, where he spent Christmas. Barcelona has given him permission to stay in South America and rehabilitate an ankle injury, meaning he will miss Tuesday’s match against Eibar. He is expected to return training ahead of Barcelona’s January 3 match against Huesca.