"Messi's a Barcelona player" - Sir Alex Ferguson's old claims on Lionel Messi resurface amid rumours of a possible Barca return
As Lionel Messi edges closer to a return to Barcelona, Sir Alex Ferguson's old quotes regarding the player have resurfaced. The former Manchester United manager once claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo can play for any team, whereas Lionel Messi can't.
Speaking in 2015, the legendary manager said (h/t ESPN FC):
"Ronaldo could play for Millwall, QPR, Doncaster Rovers, and score a hat-trick in a game. I am not sure Messi could do it. Messi is a Barcelona player."
Since that quote, Ronaldo has played for Real Madrid, Manchester United, Juventus, and Al-Nassr, scoring hat-tricks for all the teams, including his national team Portugal.
Lionel Messi, however, hasn't scored a single one since joining Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona in 2021. The Argentine is currently in the final months of his PSG contract and is yet to agree on a new deal.
It looks unlikely that he will extend his stay in the French capital. Messi has been linked with a return to his former club. He has scored 29 goals and provided 32 assists in 67 matches since his move to the Paris club.
Thierry Henry urges Lionel Messi to make a Barcelona return
Apart from his contract situation, Lionel Messi has also been jeered by PSG fans in recent games. The act, which most recently took place before the Parisian club's 2-0 loss against Olympique Lyon, didn't sit well with Thierry Henry.
The Frenchman urged Messi to make a return to Barca, telling Amazon Prime Sports:
"It’s embarrassing to hear whistles from the Parc. You can’t whistle one of the best players on the team, who has 13 goals and 13 assists this season. Personally, I would like to see him finish his career at Barcelona, in Europe."
He added:
"After that, I don’t know what he will do. Because the way he left Barcelona after everything he did… I didn’t really like it. For the love of football, he should go back to Barca."
Messi scored 672 goals and provided 303 assists in 778 games during his time as a Barca player.