Kevin-Prince Boateng reveals how Messi had to approve his Barcelona signing | Discuss Ghana

The rumor that Lionel Messi ran things behind the scenes at Camp Nou has been given some massive backing from someone who lived it. Retired Ghanaian midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has revealed that his shock transfer to Barcelona in 2019 was completely put on hold until Lionel Messi gave his personal stamp of approval.

Speaking in an interview on the Unscripted podcast, the 38-year-old explained that even though every single high-ranking club official—including the president, manager, and both sporting directors—had agreed to the deal, they openly admitted they had to check with Messi first before allowing him to sign the contract.

The night Boateng prayed for Messi's blessing

Boateng, who joined Barcelona on a six-month loan from Sassuolo in January 2019, described the intense, high-friction waiting game he had to play:

The Club Said Yes: Boateng recalled that everything seemed set in stone. "At the time, there were two sporting directors. One was Eric Abidal. They said, 'We want him.' The president (Josep Maria Bartomeu) and the coach (Ernesto Valverde) also wanted him, so I said, 'OK, let's sign tomorrow.'"

The Sudden Pause: The directors then stopped him in his tracks. "They said, 'No, we have to speak to Messi first.' I asked, 'What do you mean?' and they replied, 'We have to speak to Messi. He has that kind of authority.'"

The Stressful Wait: Boateng admitted he spent the night anxious about the Argentine's decision. "I went to sleep hoping Messi would like me or consider me an important player. I thought I could sign the Barcelona jersey tomorrow, but if Messi had opposed it, I would not have been able to sign."

The "Lie" Boateng had to tell

Once he got the green light from Messi, Boateng revealed that the club's demand for Messi-centric loyalty didn't stop there. He was strictly told that if he wanted to survive at the club, he had to change his public opinions:

The Ronaldo Retraction: Before moving to Spain, Boateng had publicly stated that Cristiano Ronaldo was the best player in the world.

The Press Conference Script: Upon arriving at Camp Nou, the board allegedly gave him a strict warning. "They told me, 'Your favorite team is Barcelona and the best player in the world is Lionel Messi—otherwise, you can't play here.'" * The Confession: "So I sat there in the press conference and when they asked me who the best player in the world was, I said Lionel Messi. I had to lie," Boateng admitted with a laugh.