Kevin-Prince Boateng claims he was ‘forced to lie’ at Barcelona to say Lionel Messi was the best player in the world despite believing Cristiano Ronaldo was

Former Ghana international, Kevin-Prince Boateng has revealed he was ‘forced’ to lie and say Lionel Messi was the best player in the world when he joined Barcelona otherwise he ‘wouldn’t play’.

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s VIBE with FIVE podcast, Boateng claimed it was ‘one of the biggest lies of my life’ as he had always supported Real Madrid growing up and ‘loved’ Cristiano Ronaldo. 

‘I remember that when I arrived in Barcelona they immediately asked me who the best player in the world was. I had to say it was Lionel Messi, I lied. It was one of the biggest lies of my life,’ he told the podcast. 

‘Normally I always tell the truth, but I lied because it was the only way to wear the Barcelona shirt. I always supported Real Madrid when I was a teenager. I love Cristiano Ronaldo. But they told me I had to say that, otherwise I wouldn’t play.’

He also added: ‘He [Messi] is the captain but doesn’t speak. We spoke one time in the shower because he asked if it’s difficult to score in Italy because Ronaldo was there at that time, and he showed the rivalry between them. 

‘I told him that it was more difficult that Ronaldo was there, and he scored every game for three years. People forget too easily what he’s done there.’

Boateng, whose former clubs include Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth F.C. and AC Milan, joined Barcelona on loan in January 2019 from Sassuolo.

The Ghanaian footballer only played five matches for the Spanish giants and scored no goals but won the La Liga.

Ronaldo joined Juventus in 2018 and scored 101 goals in 134 appearances before returning to Manchester United in 2021. 

Messi also went on the move that summer from Barcelona to join Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent.