Messi talks Barcelona after winning Ballon d’Or: “Best team in the world, in football history”

On a historic night in Paris on Monday, Barcelona legend Lionel Messi won a record eighth Ballon d’Or, taking home the Golden Orb for the 2023 edition after having enjoyed a tremendous past year at club and international level.

The Argentine international, who currently plies his trade in the MLS with Inter Miami, won the Ballon d’Or after having led his national team to the FIFA World Cup triumph in December last year, along with winning the Ligue 1 title with PSG.

During his speech, and later in the press conference, the 36-year-old icon did not forget to express his love for Barcelona, the club where he grew into the greatest of all time.

“Like Aitana said before me, I was lucky to play in the best club in the world, the best team in football history. It allowed me to win so many titles and individual awards,” Messi said.

“Barça is the best club in the world, in football history. It’s a special club, very different from the rest.”

When asked if he still followed Barcelona, the 36-year-old replied: “Of course I follow Barça. It’s the club that I love and will love all my life.

“Barcelona have a great team. The squad has a mix of veterans and young players now, and this is very important in football.

“They are ready to be able to fight for this Champions League. I have no doubt that they are a candidate, but they don’t have to put pressure on themselves to be the favorite.”

On farewell and future return
Messi left Barcelona in the summer of 2021 and has ever since been linked with a return back home, although nothing of that sort has materialised.

However, the Blaugrana are working on having a tribute match for the greatest ever to have played for the club, and Messi welcomed the idea, saying that he wished to say goodbye to the fans in a proper way.

“It was a strange feeling when I left Barça. After what I experienced there, I didn’t want to leave Barça like that. Barça is my home. I love this club and I adore the Barça fans, and I will be very grateful to be back again,” he stated.

“I would like to say goodbye to the Barça fans in another way. I felt like the sensations weren’t good when I left. I deserve to say goodbye to the people that I shared good and bad times with,” Messi added.

On the possibility of returning to the club in some capacity in the future, Messi said: “Barça are the club that saw me grow up, that gave me everything, that I love and that I also gave everything.

“Why not come back to the club? But it’s not something I’m thinking about now. One day I’m going to be living in Barcelona, to be close to the club in one way or another. I’m going to be linked to that club and I don’t know what could happen.