Messi: "I Wanted to Retire at Barcelona, My Departure Wasn't How I Dreamed"

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi admitted in an interview with the newspaper "Sport" that he never thought about leaving Spanish club Barcelona, indicating that his dream was to retire in the "Blaugrana" shirt.

The 38-year-old said: "I think I've said this before. After my departure, strange feelings remained within me because of the way everything ended, and how I played my last seasons without fans due to the pandemic."

The Inter Miami player added: "After all those years I spent at Barcelona, my exit was not as I dreamed or imagined. I wished I could have ended my career in Europe with Barcelona. It was a strange farewell due to the circumstances and everything surrounding it. But I am sure that people's love will always remain, because of everything we lived together."

Regarding the most beautiful moment he experienced with Barcelona, Messi replied: "It's very difficult to choose just one. I thank God for allowing me to live so many beautiful moments. We usually associate happiness with titles and championships, and I think the first sextuple with Guardiola was something extraordinary, as was the last Champions League with Luis Enrique. It's hard to choose, because every moment has its value."