Kevin-Prince Boateng on Messi: “This time I had to lie”
05.10.2023, 12:14 | Reading time: 2 minutes
Kevin-Prince Boateng looks at the spectators laughing in a Hertha jersey.
Photo: Andreas Gora/dpa
In order to fulfill his dream at FC Barcelona, Kevin-Price Boateng once fibbed a little. It was about two typical football questions: Ronaldo or Messi? Barca or Real?
Berlin. In order to be allowed to play for FC Barcelona in 2019, Kevin-Prince Boateng fibbed a bit. In addition to Hertha BSC, he also cheered for Real Madrid as a teenager, the Berlin native revealed in the “Vibe with Five” podcast. He named Cristiano Ronaldo as his favorite player – but the Barça fans shouldn’t have known either. When he introduced himself, he lied, stated that his favorite club was Barcelona – and answered the question about the best player in the world with “Messi”. The 36-year-old Boateng ended his own career at Hertha BSC after last season.
“I couldn’t say that in the press conference. They told me, never say that, otherwise you won’t be able to play here,” Boateng explained looking back. He added with a smile: “That’s one of the biggest lies of my life. Normally I always tell the truth, but this time I had to lie because I wanted to wear the jersey at Camp Nou.”
He therefore apologized to the Barça supporters: “Sorry, Blaugrana – the Barcelona fans will hate me now.” Boateng only made four competitive appearances for the current Spanish champions.
He hardly ever spoke to the then Barça captain Lionel Messi, but once it was about Ronaldo. “We were talking in the shower once. He asked me if it was difficult to score goals in Italy because Ronaldo was in Italy at the time.” Boateng’s opinion: Yes, because in Italy there is more emphasis on defense.
Messi also asked him whether he would score a lot of goals himself in Serie A. Boateng’s answer: “You score wherever you want. You are Messi.” This showed a bit of the rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo, said Boateng. But both would “respect each other very much.”
(© dpa-infocom, dpa:231005-99-450011/2 (dpa) )
2023-10-05 10:36:24
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