Lionel Messi: 'I was asked to play for Spain'

Lionel Messi has revealed that he was asked to represent Spain during his early Barcelona career.

The former Ballon d'Or holder qualified for Spanish citizenship at an early age after moving to Barcelona in the year 2000.

However, the 26-year-old has insisted that he only ever wanted to represent the country of his birth, Argentina.

"I was asked informally if I wanted to play for Spain, but I always said that I wanted to play for my national team because I love Argentina and these are the only colours I want to wear," he says in new book Messi, The Patriot.

Messi has scored 37 times in 83 games for his national team.