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Lionel Messi has spent the lion's share of his professional career in Spain. Coming up through the ranks of Barcelona, it was his performances for the Catalan club that made him one of the greatest players of all time in people's eyes.
Vicente del Bosque, the man who led Spain to their maiden FIFA World Cup glory in 2010, has now revealed that he tried to convince the Argentine to play for Spain on numerous occasions.
In a recent interview with Radio Marca, Del Bosque stated that Messi is the greatest player of all time in his eyes because of his consistency. He also added that he prefers the Argentine in the debate with Cristiano Ronaldo. Del Bosque said (via Get Spanish Football News):
“The best player I have ever seen is Messi. Between Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi, I’ll take Messi. Of all the players I have known in so many years in football, for me Messi, for his consistency and his quality as a player, has been impressive. He has had some fantastic seasons and has always led his team forward.”
Speaking about how he tried to convince Lionel Messi to don the Spanish jersey, Del Bosque said:
“I tried everything to get Messi to play for Spain. However, Lionel refused because of the love he has for his country.”
Des Bosque also spoke about the appointment of Luis de la Fuentes as the new Spanish manager after Luis Enrique's decision to step down. He outlined what the new manager will have to do, saying:
"we have a good generation of players, you have to bring the best: whether they're young or old. I don't think age, in any case, is any merit, you have to have a lot of confidence in this generation of players."
Lionel Messi looks set to extend his stay with PSG
2022 FIFA World Cup winner Lionel Messi's contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will run out next summer.
Messi was linked with a move to Barcelona and a potential transfer to MLS club Inter Miami. However, the Argentine has reportedly given Parisians the green light to extend his stay for another year.
