Lionel Messi has sensationally admitted that he was close to quitting FC Barcelona at one point, and also revealed his plans at the club for the immediate future.

Read: Messi Reaches Incredible Milestone

Messi was speaking to Catalan radio station RAC1 when he made the shocking admission that he was close to leaving Barca following the tax evasion scandal that rocked his personal life during the 2013/14 LaLiga campaign.

"At that time, with the mess of the treasury, I wanted to leave, not for wanting to leave Barca but wanting to leave Spain," the Argentine said.

"I felt that I was being very mistreated and I didn't want to stay here. I never had an official offer because everyone knew my idea to stay here.

"The truth is that it was hard for everything that happened but it is better that my children were small and did not know."

Click through the gallery below to see the leading goalscorers in 2019, including Messi!

Messi, who ultimately stayed at the club and has now scored 604 goals in 692 appearances for the Blaugrana, also revealed his plan to see out his career with the Catalan giants. 

Read: Magical Messi Sets New LaLiga Record

"Today my idea, and that of my family, is to end here," he added when asked about his future. 

"Especially first because of how I am in the club, how I feel in the club, then because of the familiar, for how good we are in this city, for my children, for not changing my friendships and I don't want it broken because I had to live it on my personal level."

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