Messi: “My first choice was to return to Barcelona – I was thinking a lot about going to Saudi Arabia”

THE Lionel Messi he once again wrote history and in fact… off the pitch. The world champion with the Argentine national team became the first footballer to make the headlines in “TIME” and was declared footballer of the year, even giving an interview to the American magazine.

There, he was asked, among other things, about the decision he made in the summer to continue his career in Inter Miamibut also for the other options he had in his hands.

The 35-year-old superstar emphasized that his priority was to return to Barcelona, but he failed to do so and revealed that he was seriously considering continuing his career in the Saudi Arabian league. Which didn’t happen, too, and football fans lost out another one… bra-de-fer between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

“The truth is, fortunately, I had several options on the table that were interesting and I had to analyze and think about them, even weigh them with my family, before making the final decision to come to Miami. My first choice was to return to Barcelona, ​​but it was not possible”he initially reported.

“I tried to come back, but it didn’t happen. It is also true that later I was thinking a lot about going to the Saudi Arabian league, where I know the country and they have created a very strong organization that can become an important league in the near future”he continued.

“As an ambassador for the country’s tourism, it was a destination that attracted me, especially because I have enjoyed everything I have visited, because of the development of football in the country and because of the effort they put in to create a top event”he added.