Highlights:
- Messi was urged by his former teammate to join Napoli
- Kevin-Prince Boateng says it will be “like a movie”
- Boateng says this would be the greatest tribute to Maradona who dies last month
It is no secret now that Lionel Messi’s, the Argentine superstar footballer, future at Spanish giant Barcelona is in doubts and now his former teammate Kevin-Prince Boateng is urging him to make a stunning transfer.
Kevin-Prince Boateng feels that Lionel Messi should pay the ultimate tribute to his fellow Argentina great Diego Maradona who died on the 25th of November this year, by signing for Napoli.
As Maradon passed away, Messi apid his respects by removing his Barcelona shirt when he scored against Osasuna only to reveal the Newell’s Old Boys jersey.
Newell’s was the team Messi came through at, and Maradona had a season at the club towards the tail-end of his career.
However, it was Napoli where Maradona cemented his legendary status and even won two Serie A titles – 1987 and 1990 – and was in the same team when he won the 1986 World Cup.
Napoli, paying respect to Maradona, had already retired No. 10 jersey which means that if Messi decided to join Napoli he will have to pick a different number, however, Boateng thinks it is a kovie that Messi must make.
Talking to ESPN, Boateng said, “Messi’s going to finish his contract at Barcelona, [but] how amazing would it be if he would just call Napoli and say ‘I will come’?”.
He added, “they (Napoli) don’t give out the No.10 shirt anymore, [but] I would love to honour Maradona’s No.10 and I would love to come and play one year or two years at Naples, without thinking about money or nothing, just heart”.
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Boateng, 33, who plays for A. C. Monza and even spent a spell on loan at Barcelona to play alongside Messi last year, describes the possibility of a move to Napoli as being like a movie script – but would love it to happen.
Boateng said, “It would be like a movie, “ and added, “He’d have to go to practice by a f***ing helicopter because people would eat him alive. They’d be so happy.”
He said, “But just that story: ‘In honour of Maradona, I will come and play for Naples’, what kind of story would that be for the world, not only for football, for the world?
“It would be a message, it would be history everywhere. I just wish I would be in Messi’s shoes. I want to be Messi. I would call the president of Naples and I would tell him.”
As of now, Lionel Messi must be focusing on lifting his club up on the La Liga points table as they currently sit 12 points behind the league leader, Atletico Madrid. Barcelona will next face Levante at Camp Nou on Sunday.
