The Lionel Messi has been urged by Kevin-Prince Boateng to leave Barcelona and sign for Napoli as a tribute to the great Diego Maradona.
Argentina legend Maradona passed on at the age of 60 after suffering a heart problem last month. As a tribute, Napoli renamed their stadium to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, who led the club to their only Scudetto triumphs in 1987 and 1990 after signing from Barcelona in 1984.
Messi paid tribute to Maradona by removing his Barcelona shirt, revealing a Newell’s Old Boys jersey emblazoned with the Argentine’s famous number 10 after he scored against Osasuna.
However, Prince believes Messi should do more to pay tribute to his countryman.
“I often hear of the comparison between Messi and Maradona and therefore I’ll make a proposal to Leo,” he told ESPN.
“He should go to Napoli after his contract with Barcelona expires. It would be great if he himself called [president Aurelio] De Laurentiis and said: ‘I’m coming’.
“Even if they have retired the No. 10 shirt, ‘I would like to honour Maradona’s No. 10 and come and play for a year or two at Napoli’, without thinking about money, just the heart.
“Maybe then he manages to win a championship and then it would be the apotheosis, a movie story.
“If I were him, I would think about it. By now, he has won everything at club level, closing in a legendary way would be incredible.”
