‘I’m going to quit’ – Boateng believes Messi is out of this world

Kevin-Prince Boateng

joined

in a shock move on loan in 2019 and was head over heels impressed by the Argentine legend,

Lionel Messi

, that he wanted to call it quits. He mentioned in his interviews that Barcelona’s interest in the 33-year-old has come as a surprise to him.

"

The six months at Barcelona were incredible

," Boateng said. "

At first, I didn't believe it. I thought it was Espanyol who wanted me, not the real Barcelona

!

"

Training with Messi left me speechless. I had always said that Cristiano Ronaldo was the best in the world, but Messi is something else. He's not normal.

"

While training with him, I felt inadequate for the first time in my career. He was doing incredible things. I felt like saying, 'I'm done, I'm going to quit playing

!'"

Boateng believes his moves from England to Italy, Spain, and Germany have brought him experience and reliability. Notwithstanding his career stops at some important clubs including Tottenham, AC Milan, and Borussia Dortmund, he believes he could have had more achievements.

When he was in Tottenham, he was going through a tough period, as he let his profligacy heal the issues he was facing in the field.

"

When I was young, at Tottenham, it's true: I bought three luxury cars in one day, but there was so much pain inside me," he said. "I was trying to buy happiness. I wasn't happy. I wasn't playing. I wasn't

well

and so I was looking for something else. Sure, I would change that part of my past

.

"

Often, I trusted only my talent and, with the talent I have, without being arrogant, I could have done a lot more. Although, I have had a beautiful career anyway."

He also became an activist, talking about racism, further in his career.

"

In football, nothing has changed since 2013

," Boateng said. "

Maybe a few more fines, but nothing has changed. It's sad. It still happens. And it happens too much

.

"

Change comes from FIFA and UEFA. Us footballers, we're important, we try to speak, we use social media, we use interviews, but if it doesn't start from above, it's difficult for us.

"In 2013, I was saying, I hope that the kids in a few years don't know what racism is, and instead they're now hearing us talk more about it today than yesterday

."

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