Lionel Messi Opens Up on Why He Wanted Borussia Dortmund to Beat Real Madrid in the UCL Final

• Lionel Messi has openly admitted he backed Borussia Dortmund to win the Champions League against Real Madrid
• The 36-year-old is a staunch Barcelona fan and spent 17 seasons with the Catalans before leaving for PSG in 2021
• He is currently preparing to help Argentina defend their Copa America crown at this year's competition in the USA

Lionel Messi has shared why he wanted Borussia Dortmund to win the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League instead of Real Madrid.

The Argentine playmaker, currently preparing for the 2024 Copa America with the national team, remains a devoted Barcelona fan despite leaving the club in 2021.

Having spent two-thirds of his club career with the Catalan giants, Messi's allegiance was clear when Barcelona's El Clasico rivals faced Dortmund in the final at Wembley on June 1.

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Despite his hopes and the support of Barcelona and Dortmund fans, Madrid secured their unparalleled 15th Champions League title with a 2-0 victory.

The Bundesliga side was the better of the two sides at the start of the game and had several opportunities to take the lead in the first half, but they failed to capitalise, letting Real Madrid off the hook.

Eventually, Dortmund paid the price as Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior scored late to secure Los Blancos' sixth UCL crown in the past decade, per Sportstar.

Why did Messi want Dortmund to win the UCL?

Reflecting on the match, Messi, who netted 25 goals in 45 appearances against Madrid, explained his support for Dortmund in the final.

“Champions League final? Yeah, we were supporting Dortmund, obviously," the 36-year-old told ESPN, as quoted by MadridXtra.

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Expanding on his earlier statement, the 2022 World Cup winner emphasized that his loyalty to Barcelona prevents him from supporting Real Madrid.

He noted that Madridistas would likewise not support Barcelona if the roles were reversed in the final.

"I’m a Barcelona fan, and if Barcelona were in the final, Real Madrid fans would support the opponent, too. That’s how it is in football.”

How 2022 WC extended Messi's career?

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi, currently playing for Inter Miami, explained how his 2022 World Cup victory extended his career, as reported by Sports Brief.

The Argentine hinted strongly that Inter Miami would be his final club before retirement.

Messi, who turns 37 in June, guided his nation to glory in Qatar, defeating France in a thrilling match to secure Argentina’s first World Cup since 1986.