Lionel Messi Comments on Barcelona Future, Ballon D'Or, Copa America and More

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Lionel Messi has revealed he would like to return to Argentina "one day" when his time with Barcelona—the club that has given him "everything"—comes to an end.

The 28-year-old superstar moved to Barcelona to join their famed La Masia academy when he was just 13—described by Messi as both "a difficult moment [and] a marvelous moment"—and he admitted that he wants to return to his home country having not had the chance to grow up in Argentina,
per Sports Illustrated (via AS):

"I grew up here, my life is here, Barcelona gave me everything I have, but one day I'd like to go back to Argentina, I didn't really get the chance to enjoy growing up in Rosario with my family."

Lionel Messi: Major Honours with Barcelona

Tournament	Winning Season
La Liga	2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16
Copa del Rey	2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16
Spanish Super Cup	2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013
UEFA Champions League	2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15
UEFA Super Cup	2009, 2011, 2015
FIFA Club World Cup	2009, 2011, 2015

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Soccerway

Messi recently won his 27th and 28th major honours with Barcelona after the Blaugrana claimed a second consecutive domestic double by triumphing in the Liga and the Copa del Rey.

He has carved out a reputation at the Catalan club as one of the best players ever to kick a football and was awarded an unprecedented fifth Ballon d'Or earlier this year, an award he acknowledged as "incredible," per SI (via AS):


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"The Ballon d'Or made me very happy, it's special, important. When they tell you you're the best in the world and give you the Ballon d'Or, it's incredible. I don't put much importance on individual awards, but it's lovely."

It was the first time Messi had received the prestigious award since 2012, as Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo won it in 2013 and 2014.

Indeed, the superlative duo have monopolised the Ballon d'Or since 2008 and have been club football's two undisputed superstars for the best part of the last decade.

Surprisingly, though, neither have had great success on the international stage, and Messi is still yet to win a major trophy with Argentina despite reaching the 2015 Copa America final and the 2014 World Cup final.

He starred at both tournaments, but former Argentina international Juan Roman Riquelme believes he was not given enough support (via South American football writer Rupert Fryer):

Messi feels that the current Albiceleste squad deserve to win something and said that Gerardo Martino's side will be aiming to triumph at this summer's Copa America Centenario in the USA, per SI (via AS): "We'll try and take the chance, it'll be very important for Argentina to win the cup, we deserve to win an important trophy."

Argentina will face Panama, Bolivia and Chile—who beat them in last summer's Copa final—in the group stage, with the tournament set to kick off on June 3.