Kevin-Prince Boateng Urges Messi To Honour Maradona By Joining Napoli
Kevin-Prince Boateng has asked Lionel Messi to honour Diego Maradona by joining Argentina’s 1986 World Cup winning captain’s former club Napoli when his contract at Barcelona ends next summer.
Maradona, considered by many as football’s greatest ever player, died last month from a heart problem in Argentina.
Messi paid tribute to his former manager by revealing a Newells Old Boys jersey – one of Maradona’s former clubs- while celebrating a goal against Osasuna in the aftermath of his death.
Maradona is also a legend in Naples, having helped Napoli to two Serie A titles and a UEFA Cup during his time as a player.
His favourite number 10 jersey has long been retired by the club and plans to rename the San Paolo stadium after him are well advanced.
Messi’s contract with Barcelona expires at the end of this season and Boateng, who played alongside the six-time Ballon d’or winner during the second half of the 2018/2019 season at the Camp Nou has asked his former teammate to join the Italian side.
"Messi's going to finish his contract at Barcelona, [but] how amazing would it be if he would just call Napoli and say 'I will come'?" Boateng told ESPN.
"'They don't give out the No.10 shirt anymore, [but] I would love to honour Maradona's No.10 and I would love to come and play one year or two years at Naples, without thinking about money or nothing, just heart'."
The former AC Milan forward, who now plays for Monza in the Italian Serie B, added: "It would be like a movie."
"He'd have to go to practice by a f*cking helicopter because people would eat him alive. They'd be so happy.
"But just that story: 'In honour of Maradona, I will come and play for Naples', what kind of story would that be for the world, not only for football, for the world?
"It would be a message, it would be history everywhere. I just wish I would be in Messi's shoes. I want to be Messi. I would call the president of Naples and I would tell him."
